US20200072177A1 - Multifunctional Battery Booster - Google Patents
Multifunctional Battery Booster Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20200072177A1 US20200072177A1 US16/556,525 US201916556525A US2020072177A1 US 20200072177 A1 US20200072177 A1 US 20200072177A1 US 201916556525 A US201916556525 A US 201916556525A US 2020072177 A1 US2020072177 A1 US 2020072177A1
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- Prior art keywords
- battery
- booster
- power
- current
- processor
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02N—STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02N11/00—Starting of engines by means of electric motors
- F02N11/12—Starting of engines by means of mobile, e.g. portable, starting sets
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02N—STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02N11/00—Starting of engines by means of electric motors
- F02N11/08—Circuits or control means specially adapted for starting of engines
- F02N11/0862—Circuits or control means specially adapted for starting of engines characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60L53/00—Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
- B60L53/60—Monitoring or controlling charging stations
- B60L53/62—Monitoring or controlling charging stations in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02N—STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02N11/00—Starting of engines by means of electric motors
- F02N11/08—Circuits or control means specially adapted for starting of engines
- F02N11/087—Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02N—STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02N11/00—Starting of engines by means of electric motors
- F02N11/14—Starting of engines by means of electric starters with external current supply
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/05—Accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte
- H01M10/052—Li-accumulators
- H01M10/0525—Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J1/00—Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
- H02J1/10—Parallel operation of dc sources
- H02J1/122—Provisions for temporary connection of DC sources of essentially the same voltage, e.g. jumpstart cables
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- H02J7/0042—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries characterised by the mechanical construction
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- H02J7/0047—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
- H02J7/0048—Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- H02J7/007—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
- H02J7/00711—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage with introduction of pulses during the charging process
-
- H02J7/0093—
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- H02J7/34—Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering
- H02J7/342—The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02N—STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02N2200/00—Parameters used for control of starting apparatus
- F02N2200/06—Parameters used for control of starting apparatus said parameters being related to the power supply or driving circuits for the starter
- F02N2200/063—Battery voltage
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02N—STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02N2300/00—Control related aspects of engine starting
- F02N2300/10—Control related aspects of engine starting characterised by the control output, i.e. means or parameters used as a control output or target
- F02N2300/108—Duty cycle control or pulse width modulation [PWM]
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02N—STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F02N2300/00—Control related aspects of engine starting
- F02N2300/30—Control related aspects of engine starting characterised by the use of digital means
- F02N2300/302—Control related aspects of engine starting characterised by the use of digital means using data communication
- F02N2300/306—Control related aspects of engine starting characterised by the use of digital means using data communication with external senders or receivers, e.g. receiving signals from traffic lights, other vehicles or base stations
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/42—Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells
- H01M10/48—Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M2220/00—Batteries for particular applications
- H01M2220/20—Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- H02J7/0029—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries with safety or protection devices or circuits
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
- H02J7/0047—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
- H02J7/0048—Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
- H02J7/0049—Detection of fully charged condition
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
- Y02T10/70—Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
- Y02T10/7072—Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02T90/10—Technologies relating to charging of electric vehicles
- Y02T90/12—Electric charging stations
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to a portable battery booster system and apparatus. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing a compact battery booster and/or charger.
- the present disclosure is directed to an improved battery booster and charger, and, more particularly, to an improved lithium battery booster and charger.
- a method of jumpstarting a vehicle using a battery booster comprises: detecting an external battery of the vehicle coupled across a set of terminal connectors of the battery booster, wherein the external battery has a first nominal voltage; supplying a pre-charge current from a lithium battery of the battery booster to the external battery until a predetermined battery condition is detected, wherein the lithium battery has a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage; after predetermined battery condition is detected, supplying a starting current from the lithium battery of the battery booster to the vehicle to jump start an engine of the vehicle, wherein the starting current is greater than the pre-charge current.
- a battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery comprises: at least one processor; a set of terminal connectors configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery; a power supply having a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine; and a power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform a back-feed function via the power-management circuit to pass a back-feed current from the vehicle to the lithium battery via the power-management circuit for a predetermined period of time.
- a battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery comprises: at least one processor; a set of terminal connectors configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery, wherein the external battery has a first nominal voltage; a power supply having a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine, wherein the lithium battery has a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage; and a power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply.
- the second nominal voltage that is at least 30% greater than the first nominal voltage.
- the first nominal voltage is 12 volts and the second nominal voltage is 16 volts.
- the first nominal voltage is 48 volts.
- the battery booster further comprises a display device operatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to display a state of charge of the lithium battery.
- the power supply further comprises a supercapacitor that is coupled to the lithium battery in parallel.
- the at least one processor is configured to perform a pre-charge function via the power-management circuit.
- the at least one processor is configured to, during the pre-charge function, pass a charging current from the lithium battery to the external battery via the power-management circuit until a predetermined booster condition is met.
- the predetermined booster condition relates to a voltage of the external battery.
- the predetermined booster condition relates to a temperature of the internal battery.
- the at least one processor is configured to perform a back-feed function via the power-management circuit.
- the at least one processor is configured to, during the back-feed function, pass a back-feed current from the vehicle to the lithium battery via the power-management circuit until a predetermined booster condition is met.
- the power-management circuit comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver operatively coupled to one or more switches, wherein the at least one processor is configured to, during the back-feed function, modulate the back-feed current via the PWM driver and one or more switches.
- PWM pulse width modulation
- At least one of the one or more switches is a transistor.
- the power-management circuit is configured to charge the lithium battery.
- the power-management circuit comprises a single-ended primary-inductor converter configured to receive a variable input voltage between 5 volts DC and 20 volts DC and to output a predetermined charge voltage to said lithium battery.
- the supercapacitor is configured to draw a charging current from the lithium battery.
- the supercapacitor is configured to draw a charging current from the external battery via the set of terminal connectors before the power-management circuit provides the starting current to the external battery.
- the external battery is sufficiently depleted such that it is unable to start the engine.
- the lithium battery is rated at least 10,000 mAh.
- the battery booster further comprises a wireless transceiver to communicate with a remote device over a network.
- the remote device is a smart phone or a tablet computer.
- the battery booster is configured to be wirelessly controlled by the remote device via the wireless transceiver.
- the processor is configured to detect a drop in current across the set of terminal connectors and the power-management circuit is configured to provide the starting current upon the processor detecting the drop in current across the set of terminal connectors.
- the battery booster further comprises a universal serial bus (USB) port to output a first charging current from the lithium battery.
- USB universal serial bus
- the battery booster further comprises a second USB port to output a second charging current that is different from the first charging current.
- each of the first current and the second current are less than 3.0 amperes.
- the battery booster further comprises a display device to display a state of charge of said lithium battery or said external battery.
- the set of terminal connectors are configured to electrically couple with the battery booster at a DC output port using an EC5 connector.
- the set of terminal connectors are configured to electrically couple with the battery booster using one or more magnetic connectors.
- FIG. 1 a illustrates a front perspective view of an exemplary battery booster.
- FIG. 1 b illustrates a block diagram of an example battery booster.
- FIG. 1 c illustrates a schematic diagram of an example battery booster.
- FIG. 1 d illustrates a communication network for use with the battery booster.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method for providing the jump-start function using a battery booster.
- FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method for discharging and charging the battery booster.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example pre-charge function.
- FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of an example current back-feed function.
- the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.”
- the embodiments described herein are not limiting, but rather are exemplary only. It should be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
- the terms “embodiments of the invention,” “embodiments,” or “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage, or mode of operation.
- communicate and “communicating” as used herein, include both conveying data from a source to a destination and delivering data to a communications medium, system, channel, network, device, wire, cable, fiber, circuit, and/or link to be conveyed to a destination.
- communication means data so conveyed or delivered.
- communications includes one or more of a communications medium, system, channel, network, device, wire, cable, fiber, circuit, and/or link.
- Coupled means a relationship between or among two or more devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, and/or means, constituting any one or more of: (i) a connection, whether direct or through one or more other devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means; (ii) a communications relationship, whether direct or through one or more other devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means; and/or (iii) a functional relationship in which the operation of any one or more devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means depends, in whole or in part, on the operation of any one or more
- data means any indicia, signals, marks, symbols, domains, symbol sets, representations, and any other physical form or forms representing information, whether permanent or temporary, whether visible, audible, acoustic, electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, or otherwise manifested.
- data is used to represent predetermined information in one physical form, encompassing any and all representations of corresponding information in a different physical form or forms.
- database means an organized body of related data, regardless of the manner in which the data or the organized body thereof is represented.
- the organized body of related data may be in the form of one or more of a table, map, grid, packet, datagram, frame, file, email, message, document, report, list, or any other form.
- network includes both networks and inter-networks of all kinds, including the Internet, and is not limited to any particular network or inter-network.
- processor means processing devices, apparatuses, programs, circuits, components, systems, and subsystems, whether implemented in hardware, tangibly embodied software, or both, and whether or not it is programmable.
- processor includes, but is not limited to, one or more computing devices, hardwired circuits, signal-modifying devices and systems, devices and machines for controlling systems, central processing units, programmable devices and systems, field-programmable gate arrays, application-specific integrated circuits, systems on a chip, systems comprising discrete elements and/or circuits, state machines, virtual machines, data processors, processing facilities, and combinations of any of the foregoing.
- a battery booster may be used to start (a/k/a “boost”, “jump”, or “jump-start”) an engine operatively coupled to an external battery 104 (e.g., a 6V/12V/24V/48V nominal voltage vehicular battery or battery bank, which may be fully or partially depleted).
- an external battery 104 e.g., a 6V/12V/24V/48V nominal voltage vehicular battery or battery bank, which may be fully or partially depleted.
- the battery booster 100 may be further configured to charge the external battery 104 , and/or other electronic devices operatively coupled with the battery booster.
- Example vehicular batteries include, without limitation, lead-acid batteries (e.g., wet/flooded batteries, calcium-calcium batteries, Valve-Regulated, Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries, gel cell, and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)) and other rechargeable batteries (e.g., lithium ion, lithium ion polymer, Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH), Nickel Cadmium (NiCd)).
- lead-acid batteries e.g., wet/flooded batteries, calcium-calcium batteries, Valve-Regulated, Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries, gel cell, and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)
- other rechargeable batteries e.g., lithium ion, lithium ion polymer, Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH), Nickel Cadmium (NiCd)
- Other electronic devices that may be operatively coupled with the battery booster include, for example, portable electronic devices 152 (e.g., phones, tablet computers, portable computers, etc.), toys, etc.
- FIG. 1 a illustrates a front perspective view of an exemplary battery booster 100 .
- the battery booster 100 may be, for example, a compact battery booster that is light weight and capable of hand-held use.
- the battery booster 100 may generally comprise one or more housings 102 (e.g., a first housing 102 a and a second housing 102 b ) having, inter alia, a display device 114 , an AC input terminal 134 , a user interface 138 , a plurality of DC output terminals 136 , and/or a DC input terminal 154 .
- housings 102 e.g., a first housing 102 a and a second housing 102 b
- the battery booster 100 may generally comprise one or more housings 102 (e.g., a first housing 102 a and a second housing 102 b ) having, inter alia, a display device 114 , an AC input terminal 134 , a user interface 138 , a plurality of DC output terminal
- the plurality of DC output terminals 136 may be used to charge (e.g., provide a charging current to external battery 104 or one or more portable electronic devices 152 ), boost (e.g., provide a boosting energy to a vehicle 106 /external battery 104 ), or otherwise power external devices, including portable electronic devices 152 , an external battery 104 , an engine, etc.
- the DC output terminals 136 may comprise a DC booster output 136 a , a first DC accessory output 136 b , a second DC accessory output 136 c , etc.
- one or more of the first DC accessory output 136 b and the second DC accessory output 136 c may be a USB Port, 12V port (e.g., a cigarette lighter socket), etc., a DC connector may be used for both DC input terminal 154 and DC output terminal 136 .
- While all of the components of the battery booster 100 may be provided in a single housing 102 , in certain aspects, it may be advantageous to place certain components in a second housing 102 b (e.g., serving as an auxiliary housing), thereby reducing the size of the first housing 102 a (e.g., serving as a primary housing). For example, components that may be specific to jump starting an engine (as opposed to functions that may be used for other purposes, such as those for charging accessories, such as portable electronic devices 152 ) may be provided via the second housing 102 b to reduce the size necessary for the first housing 102 a.
- the battery booster 100 can be removably coupled with a vehicle 106 or the external battery 104 (e.g., at its battery posts/terminals) of the vehicle 106 via a pair of electrical conductors 166 (e.g., positive and negative electrical conductors 166 a , 166 b ), which can be electrically coupled with the battery booster 100 at one of the DC output terminals 136 (e.g., the DC booster output 136 a ).
- Each of the electrical conductors 166 may be, for example, a battery cable having a terminal connector at its distal end.
- the terminal connectors may be a set of battery clamps 168 (i.e., a positive clamp 168 a and a negative clamp 168 b ), a set of ring connectors, a plug (e.g., a quick connect plug), etc.
- the second housing 102 b (and associated components/circuitry) may be provided on one or both of the pair of electrical conductors 166 and position in line between the battery booster 100 (e.g., the detachable electrical ports/connectors 164 ) and the battery clamps 168 .
- a processor 128 and the power-management circuit 132 may be provided via the second housing 102 b .
- the detachable electrical ports/connectors 164 may be coupled, or integral with, the second housing 102 b rather than via a length of electrical conductors 166 .
- the battery booster 100 can also measure, inter alia, the battery voltage of the external battery 104 and/or the current through the external battery 104 via the electrical conductors 166 a , 166 b .
- the electrical conductors 166 a , 166 b may employ, for example, battery clamps 168 capable of Kelvin sensing (four terminal sensing).
- Kelvin sensing is an electrical impedance measuring technique that uses two separate pairs of current-carrying and voltage-sensing electrodes per conductor 166 a , 166 b to provide more accurate measurements than two-terminal (2T) sensing.
- each of the electrical conductors 166 a , 166 b may employ multiple electrically isolated electrodes (i.e., cables, conductors, wires, etc.), whether sharing an insulated outer casing or otherwise bundled.
- each of the electrical conductors 166 a , 166 b may employ two electrodes and provide two battery contacts (e.g., via battery clamps 168 capable of Kelvin sensing).
- the proximal end of the electrical conductors 166 a , 166 b may be removably coupled with the battery booster 100 at the DC booster output 136 a via, for example, one or more detachable electrical ports/connectors 164 (e.g., EC5 connectors, barrel connectors, pin connectors, magnetic connectors, etc.).
- the proximal end of the electrical conductors 166 a , 166 b may be fixedly coupled (i.e., non-removably coupled, for example, soldered) with the battery booster 100 .
- One or both of the housings 102 a , 102 b of the battery booster 100 may further include one or more cable wrapping posts or another structure around which various cords may be wrapped, secured, or retracted.
- FIG. 1 b illustrates a block diagram of an example battery booster 100 .
- the battery booster 100 may comprise one or more processors 128 (e.g., a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), etc.) to control the various operations of the battery booster 100 (e.g., to monitor and/or selectively charge or boost external devices).
- processors 128 e.g., a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), etc.
- CPU central processing unit
- the one or more processors 128 may be operatively coupled to one or more memory devices, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 118 for receiving one or more instruction sets, a random access memory (RAM) 120 having a plurality of buffers for temporarily storing and retrieving information, and to an internal data storage device 122 (e.g., a hard drive, such a solid state drive, or other non-volatile data storage device, such as flash memory).
- a clock 130 is also coupled to the processor 128 for providing clock or timing signals or pulses thereto.
- the battery booster 100 includes one or more bus structures for interconnecting its various components.
- the various components are illustrated as being contained within a single housing 102 . Indeed, to increase ease of use in mobile applications, the various components of a battery booster 100 may be housed in a single housing 102 . A noted above, however, it is contemplated that certain components or functionality may be provided via a second housing. Further, while a single component may be illustrated, the described functionality may be distributed across multiple components. For example, while a single processor 128 is illustrated, a plurality of processors 128 may be used to operate the battery booster 100 ; whether in the same housing or separate housings (e.g., housings 102 a , 102 b ). Accordingly, serial communication may be employed to communicate information and data between multiple processors 128 that may be used.
- the internal power supply 158 may be used to charge the portable electronic devices 152 , charge the external battery 104 , jump start the engine of the vehicle 106 associated with the external battery 104 , and/or power the components of the battery booster 100 (e.g., when disconnected from a DC power supply 156 and/or an AC power supply 148 ).
- the internal power supply 158 may comprise one or more internal batteries 160 and/or one or more supercapacitors 162 .
- the one or more internal batteries 160 and one or more supercapacitors 162 may be electrically coupled in parallel, where switches are used to selectively charge and/or discharge power thereto or therefrom.
- the switches may be mechanical switches (e.g., relays) or solid-state switches (e.g., transistors, such as a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)).
- the internal power supply 158 should be sufficiently rated to boost (jump start) a vehicle 106 coupled to an external battery 104 .
- the internal battery 160 may be rated at least 3,000 mAh, more preferably at least 10,000 mAh.
- a battery booster 100 having a 12,000 mAh internal battery 160 for instance, may output 200 cranking amps/400 peak amps during the jump-start function, which is sufficient to start a vehicle 106 , but higher power internal batteries are contemplated for larger vehicles and trucks.
- the battery booster 100 may have a 32,000 mAh internal battery 160 , for instance, may output 500 cranking amps/1,000 peak amps during the jump-start function.
- the internal battery 160 may comprise a plurality of electrically coupled batteries (e.g., connected in parallel, or when multiple lower voltage batteries are to be summed, in series).
- the internal battery 160 may be a rechargeable lithium battery for outputting a direct current (DC) voltage.
- Example lithium battery chemistries include lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO 4 ), lithium polymer (Li-poly), lithium-cobalt oxide (LiCoO 2 ), lithium-titanate, lithium-nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNiMnCoO 2 or NMC), lithium iron magnesium phosphate (LiFeMgPO 4 ), lithium-manganese oxide (LiMnO 2 ), lithium ion manganese oxide (LiMn 2 O 4 , Li 2 MnO 3 , or LMO), etc.
- the internal battery 160 need not be limited to a single battery or single battery cell.
- lithium iron phosphate batteries typically have a nominal cell voltage of about 3.2V to 3.3V each, while lithium-titanate batteries have a nominal cell voltage of about 2.4 V.
- multiple lithium cells may be connected in series to achieve a desired nominal voltage for the internal battery 160 .
- the nominal cell voltage is 3.2V to 3.3V
- four cells may be connected to achieve a nominal voltage 12.8V to 13.2V for the internal battery 160 .
- the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be selected a function of the nominal voltage of the external battery 104 .
- the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be matched to (e.g., about the same as) the nominal voltage of the intended external battery 104 .
- the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be set to around 12 volts.
- the internal battery 160 may comprise four battery cells connected in series, each having in a nominal cell voltage of about 3.2V to 3.3V (totaling 12.8V to 13.2V).
- the nominal voltages of the external battery 104 and the internal battery 160 need not be matched (or similar). In fact, it can be advantageous to select a nominal voltage for the internal battery 160 that is greater than or otherwise exceeds the nominal voltage of the external battery 104 (e.g., by 15% to 50%, or at least 30%).
- One advantage of setting the voltage of the internal battery 160 higher than the intended external battery 104 is the reduction is current requirements for the internal battery 160 during a jump start. That is, a battery with a higher nominal voltage can output a larger amount of power at a given current than a battery with a lower voltage at the same current.
- the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be set to around 16 volts.
- the internal battery 160 may comprise five battery cells connected in series, each having in a nominal cell voltage of about 3.2V to 3.3V.
- the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be 33.34% higher than the nominal voltage of the external battery 104 .
- the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be greater than the nominal voltage of the external battery 104 by a different percentage, including for example, 10 to 50%, more preferably 20 to 40%.
- the nominal voltage of the intended external battery 104 is 24 volts, while the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be set to around 32 volts. In yet another example, the nominal voltage of the intended external battery 104 is 48 volts, while the nominal voltage of the internal battery 160 may be set to around 64 volts.
- An increased nominal voltage enables the internal battery 160 to expend additional power without dropping below a voltage (or power) necessary to jump start a vehicle 106 .
- the excess power afforced by the internal battery 160 may be used to pre-charge the external battery 104 and/or preheat the external battery 104 or internal battery 160 , thereby making is easier to jump start the vehicle 106 .
- pre-charging the external battery 104 can increase efficiency of the battery booster 100 .
- a supercapacitor 162 may be used (whether alone or in addition to the internal battery 160 ) to supply a large amount of power that is sufficient time to jump start a vehicle 106 .
- the supercapacitor 162 may be a single supercapacitor 162 or a bank of supercapacitors. For example, a plurality of supercapacitors may be coupled in parallel to aggregate the individual capacitors' capacitances.
- Supercapacitors 162 are useful in that, unlike batteries, they do not necessarily suffer from ageing and temperature problems.
- a supercapacitor 162 can hold a very high charge that can be released relatively quickly, thereby making it suitable for jump starting a vehicle 106 , since the vehicle 106 cranking operation lasts for a very short period of time during which high cranking power is required.
- supercapacitors 162 are relatively small in size and can be employed in the battery booster 100 to provide sufficient cranking power to jump start a vehicle 106 .
- the battery booster 100 may receive external power via a direct current (DC) input terminal 154 coupled to a DC power supply 156 and/or an alternating current (AC) input terminal 134 coupled to an AC power supply 148 .
- AC power supply 148 may be wall current (e.g., 110 VAC)
- the DC power supply 156 may be, for example, an automotive cigarette lighter (e.g., 12 VDC), a USB port (i.e., 5 VDC), etc.
- one of the plurality of DC output terminals 136 may serve as both a DC input terminal 154 and a DC output terminal 136 .
- the battery booster 100 may draw power from a device coupled to the DC output terminals 136 (functioning as a DC input terminal 154 ), or supply power to the device coupled to the DC output terminals 136 (functioning as a DC output terminal 136 ).
- the battery booster 100 may draw a charging current to charge the internal power supply 158 from a vehicle 106 alternator via the DC booster output 136 a (through the set of battery clamps 168 , for example).
- the battery booster 100 may draw a charging current to charge the internal power supply 158 from a power source coupled to the first DC accessory output 136 b , the second DC accessory output 136 c , etc.
- an AC-to-DC transformer may be provided, which may be integral with, or external to, the battery booster 100 .
- An AC-to-DC transformer may removably coupled with wall current (i.e., line current) and/or removably coupled to the battery booster 100 .
- a power inverter and AC output terminal may be provided to output an AC voltage (e.g., a 110 VAC output).
- power from the DC power supply 156 or the internal battery 160 may be processed (e.g., using a DC-to-AC inverter) and used to supply the AC voltage to the AC output terminal.
- the battery booster 100 may draw the power needed to operate the components of the battery booster 100 from the external battery 104 and/or internal power supply 158 , thereby enabling the user to determine the status of the battery booster 100 (and state of charge, or other parameters, of the external battery 104 ) when the AC power supply 148 and the DC power supply 156 are unavailable.
- the battery booster 100 may report a power supply failure (e.g., as an alert) to one or more portable electronic devices 152 (e.g., phones, tablet computers, portable computers, or other handheld terminals) within a battery monitoring network via a communication network 170 .
- portable electronic devices 152 e.g., phones, tablet computers, portable computers, or other handheld terminals
- the battery booster 100 may further include an input/output interface 126 that interfaces the processor 128 with one or more peripheral and/or communicative devices, such as a user interface 138 , a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter 140 , a wired link 142 , a wireless device 144 , a microphone 150 , and a speaker 124 , which may be used to signal an alert (e.g., charge complete, error, etc.) or other status information.
- the processor 128 may be operatively coupled to a display device 114 via a display driver 116 .
- the display device 114 may comprise, or otherwise employ, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) and/or a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen.
- the LCD screen may be an alphanumeric segmented LCD display, or a matrix LCD display, such as those used on portable electronic devices.
- the LCD screen may further provide touch screen functionality to facilitate user input device via a thin layer of sensing circuitry present either beneath the visible portion of a surface of the display device 114 , or as part of a thin, clear membrane overlying the display device 114 that is sensitive to the position of a pen or finger on its surface.
- the battery booster 100 may employ multiple display devices 114 .
- a first display device 114 may be provided on the first housing 102 a
- a second display device 114 may be provided on the second housing 102 b
- the first and second display devices 114 provide redundant information and/or function-specific information.
- the second display device may be specific to the jump-start function.
- the display driver 116 may receive display data from the processor 128 via input/output interface 126 and display the display data via the display device 114 .
- interactive display device 114 may be provided on the housing to provide the user with status information and/or input capability (e.g., via a touch screen or voice commands using, for example, wave files).
- Reminders, or other information may be displayed to the user, via the display device 114 , as a scrolling message or menu structure (e.g., a graphical user interface (GUI)).
- GUI graphical user interface
- example flash memory devices include, for example, memory cards, such as RS-MMC, miniSD, microSD, etc.
- the internal data storage device 122 can function as an external hard drive or flash drive, thereby enabling the user to store digital files to the battery booster 100 .
- the user can interchange, upgrade, or remove the memory card (e.g., if the battery booster 100 becomes defective) to avoid data loss.
- the display device 114 may be used to display, for example, the contents of the internal data storage device 122 , the remaining storage capacity (e.g., as a percentage or in terms of available bytes), and, in certain aspects, the digital files themselves (e.g., photos may be displayed, files accessed, etc.).
- the battery booster 100 may back up digital content stored to the portable electronic device 152 when the portable electronic device 152 is coupled to the battery booster 100 via, for example, a DC output terminal 136 that is a USB port.
- the display device 114 may display the voltage of the external battery 104 .
- the display device 114 may also indicate the state of charge of the external battery 104 in terms of percent of charge of the internal battery 160 .
- the display device 114 may enter a sleep mode and will not display any messages until activity is detected (e.g., when devices are connected/disconnected from the battery booster 100 or the user interface 138 is actuated).
- the display device 114 may remain blank and the voltage will not display, but a manual start procedure may be selected to enable the jump-start function (i.e., an override).
- the jump-start function may be used to start a vehicle 106 having an external battery 104 (e.g., a depleted automotive battery).
- the jump-start function causes the battery booster 100 to output a boosting current (e.g., 400+ peak amperes/200+ cranking amperes) via clamps coupled to the DC output terminal 136 .
- the internal battery 160 may be replaced with a higher capacity battery to facilitate higher output currents.
- the supercapacitor 162 may be discharged into the external battery 104 (e.g., together with the internal battery 160 ).
- a first LED of the display device 114 may be illuminated to indicate that the internal battery 160 of the battery booster 100 is charging.
- a second LED on the unit may be illuminated.
- a third LED may be illuminated.
- an LCD display or a single multi-color LED may be employed that changes color depending on the status of the battery booster 100 .
- the battery booster 100 may be further equipped with a light 108 , which may function as a map light, flashlight, emergency light, etc.
- the light 108 may be activated and deactivated via user interface 138 , such as a button, switch, etc.
- the light 108 may be an LED that outputs, for example, 15 to 1,000 lumens.
- the display device 114 may be configured to display, in addition to, or in lieu of, the LEDs, a number of messages to indicate the current status, or operation of the battery booster 100 to the user.
- the battery booster 100 measures one or more parameters of the internal battery 160 , external battery 104 , or of the battery booster 100 . Parameters include, for example, voltage, power capacity, temperature, connection status, etc.
- the user interface 138 may be used to enable the user to switch the output charge amperage (e.g., 1 A, 10 A, 50 A, 100 A, etc.) or another setting (e.g., charge, boost, other).
- Example user interface 138 devices may include, for example, physical buttons, physical switches, a digitizer (whether a touch pad, or transparent layer overlaying the display device 114 ), voice command (e.g., via the microphone 150 and speaker 124 ), and other input devices. For instance, using the digitizer, a user may control or interact with the battery booster 100 by writing or tapping on the display device 114 using, a pen, stylus, or finger.
- the user interface 138 may be remotely situated and coupled to the battery booster 100 over a communication network 170 (e.g., as part of a remote interface device 172 , such as a mobile application).
- a communication network 170 e.g., as part of a remote interface device 172 , such as a mobile application.
- the GPS transmitter 140 may be used to track and/or monitor the location of the battery booster 100 and to relay the location information in the form of positional data (e.g., geographic coordinate system data or Internet Protocol (IP) address) to a booster management server or another device in battery charging system or via a communication network 170 .
- positional data e.g., geographic coordinate system data or Internet Protocol (IP) address
- IP Internet Protocol
- a computer may be configured to track the activities, location, and/or charge history of a particular battery booster 100 in a battery charging system.
- the positional data may also be locally stored to the battery booster 100 (e.g., to internal data storage device 122 ).
- the wireless device 144 may be configured to manage communication and/or transmission of signals or data between the processor 128 and another device (e.g., the remote interface device 172 via a communication network 170 or directly with a remote interface device 172 ) by way of a wireless transceiver.
- the wireless device 144 may be a wireless transceiver configured to communicate via one or more wireless standards such as Bluetooth (e.g., short-wavelength, Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) radio waves in the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz), near-field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards), etc.
- Bluetooth e.g., short-wavelength, Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) radio waves in the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz
- NFC near-field communication
- Wi-Fi e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer
- wireless connectivity e.g., RF 900 MHz or Wi-Fi
- RF 900 MHz or Wi-Fi may be integrated with the battery booster 100 to provide remote monitoring and control of the battery booster 100 via one or more portable electronic devices 152 .
- a wireless device 144 a user may be able to start and/or stop the charge cycle of the battery booster 100 or otherwise change the settings.
- a wired link 142 may be provided to manage communication and/or transmission of signals or data between the processor 128 and another device via, for example, a data port 146 (e.g., RS-232, USB, and/or Ethernet ports) capable of being wiredly coupled with another data port 146 positioned outside the battery booster 100 housing.
- a USB port or 12V supply may be provided as DC output terminals 136 on the charger to facilitate the charging of accessories, such as portable electronic devices 152 .
- the internal battery 160 of the battery booster 100 may also be used as a power source for one or more DC accessories. Charging while operating the accessories can extend run time of the battery booster 100 , but will also extend recharge time. If the load exceeds the charging input amperage (e.g., 1 A), however, the accessory being charged may discharge the internal battery 160 .
- the DC accessory output port (e.g., first DC accessory output 136 b , the second DC accessory output 136 c ) may be a USB port that may provide, for example, 5 VDC at one or more amperages, including for example, 1.0 A, 2.1 A, 3.0 A, etc.
- a power button (or other user selectable element) may be provided via user interface 138 .
- the DC accessory output port may be activated by pressing the power button, and disabled by, for example, pressing the power button a second time, two or more times in quick succession, or held for a predetermined period of time.
- the DC accessory output port may be a 12 VDC power supply configured to output, for example, up to 12 VDC at 6.0 A.
- the battery booster 100 may further comprise a plurality of sensors to provide measurement data descriptive of the surrounding environment.
- the DC accessory output port may automatically shut off when no load is detected (e.g., after 5-10 minutes of a no load state).
- the DC booster output 136 a may remain active until the battery booster 100 reaches a low battery state (e.g., the charge level of the internal battery 160 is less than a predetermined threshold).
- the DC accessory output port may provide a nominal voltage to match the external battery 104 (e.g., 12 VDC) and used to supply power to an integrated or remotely situated air compressor (e.g., for tire inflation).
- Matching (or exceeding) the nominal voltage of the external battery 104 may further enable the DC accessory output port or DC booster output 136 a to function as a memory saver to the vehicle 106 (e.g., via an onboard diagnostics (OBD) port, cigarette lighter, etc.), thereby obviating the need to reprogram the vehicle 106 when the external battery 104 is disconnected or removed.
- OBD onboard diagnostics
- the DC accessory output port may be limited to 12 VDC at 6.0 A with over current protection.
- a user may wish to check the status of the internal power supply 158 , such as the charge status/level of the internal battery 160 or the supercapacitor 162 .
- a button (or other user selectable element) may be provided via user interface 138 that causes the status(es) to be displayed on the display device 114 .
- the user may be instructed (e.g., via display device 114 ) to disconnect or turn off the battery booster 100 before actuating the button (or displaying the charge level).
- the display device 114 can show the percent of charge (or an icon indicating the same) for the internal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162 .
- the display device 114 may display “100%” (or a solid battery icon) when the internal battery 160 is fully charged.
- the battery booster 100 may include sensors 188 (e.g., a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, etc.), configured to monitor itself or other appliances or devices, either directly (e.g., using sensors 188 ) or wirelessly (e.g., using Wi-Fi).
- the processor 128 may be configured to monitor, via one or more sensors 188 (whether local or remotely located), a temperature of the internal battery 160 or the external battery 104 .
- the battery booster 100 may be configured to charge and monitor, in addition to automotive batteries, one or more portable electronic devices 152 being charged by said battery booster 100 .
- the battery booster 100 may then charge or boost the external battery 104 as a function of the temperature or humidity of the environment or of the battery booster 100 .
- the battery booster 100 may be used to pre-charge and/or pre-heat the external battery 104 and/or internal battery 160 in cold weather.
- Another temperature sensor may be provided to measure the temperature of the internal battery 160 , the external battery 104 , or another battery being charged (e.g., a lithium-ion battery of a portable electronic devices 152 ). If the measured temperature deviates from an operating range (i.e., a range in which the measured value is acceptable), the charging or boosting operating may be prohibited.
- a power-management circuit 132 may be used to manage power needed to operate the battery booster 100 (and components thereof), start an engine, and to charge the external battery 104 , portable electronic devices 152 , or other device via a DC output terminals 136 .
- the power-management circuit 132 may comprise a battery charge controller 178 , a supercapacitor charge controller 180 , power output controller 182 , and a single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC) circuit 184 .
- SEPIC single-ended primary-inductor converter
- a SEPIC circuit 184 may be coupled to the DC input terminal 154 or the AC input terminal 134 (e.g., via a AC-to-DC converter 186 ) and used to charge the internal power supply 158 (e.g., via the battery charge controller 178 and the supercapacitor charge controller 180 ).
- the SEPIC circuit 184 is a form of DC-to-DC converter that allows the electrical potential (voltage) at the output of the SEPIC circuit 184 to be greater than, less than, or equal to that at its input.
- the output of a SEPIC circuit 184 is controlled by the duty cycle of a control transistor.
- a SEPIC circuit 184 exchanges energy between capacitors and inductors in order to convert a variable input voltage (e.g., from the DC input terminal 154 or the AC-to-DC converter 186 ) to a predetermined output voltage that can be used to charge the internal power supply 158 , for example.
- the amount of energy exchanged is controlled by a switch, which may be a transistor such as a MOSFET.
- a SEPIC circuit 184 enables a wide variation in input voltage both substantially higher and lower than the charge voltage of the internal power supply 158 .
- the variable input voltage can be a voltage from a predetermined range, such as between 5 VDC to 20 VDC, thereby enabling internal battery 160 recharging functionality via a USB port, which is typically 5 VDC. That is, the input voltage may not be always known, but the predetermined range may be known.
- the SEPIC circuit 184 may be shut off (e.g., bypassed) to facilitate a higher efficiency charge.
- the battery booster 100 may bypass the SEPIC circuit 184 (e.g., via a switchable shunt), whereas, if 12 VDC power supply (e.g., a vehicle charger accessory) is used, the SEPIC circuit 184 may be employed.
- 12 VDC power supply e.g., a vehicle charger accessory
- the battery charge controller 178 can be used to charge the internal battery 160 selectively, while the supercapacitor charge controller 180 can be used to charge the supercapacitor 162 selectively.
- the power output controller 182 can be used to discharge the internal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162 selectively into the external battery 104 , engine, or another load to be charge/boosted/started.
- the battery charge controller 178 , the supercapacitor charge controller 180 , and the power output controller 182 may be controlled selectively by one or more processors 128 , for example, in accordance with instructions (e.g., software algorithms) stored to a memory device.
- the DC power may be output to the external battery 104 or other devices by way of a DC output terminal 136 (e.g., battery electrical conductors 166 , battery clamps 168 , etc.).
- power-management circuit 132 and processor 128 may control the charging operation of the external battery 104 to provide charging, maintaining, and, the jump-start function. While the power-management circuit 132 and processor 128 are illustrated as separate components, one of skill in the art would appreciate that power management functionality (e.g., battery charging, battery maintaining, etc.) may be provided as a single component that combines the functionality of the power-management circuit 132 and processor 128 .
- the power output controller 182 may comprise, for example, one or more battery switches 190 , one or more supercapacitor switches 192 , one or more DC-to-DC converters 112 , and a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver 110 .
- the output power may be controlled by switches and software.
- the one or more battery switches 190 may be selectively controlled to output DC power from the internal battery 160 to one or more of the DC output terminals 136
- the one or more supercapacitor switches 192 may be selectively controlled to output DC power from the supercapacitor 162 to one or more of the DC output terminals 136 (e.g., the DC booster output 136 a ).
- the battery switch(es) 190 and/or supercapacitor switch(es) 192 may be controlled via the processor 128 and/or the PWM driver 110 .
- the speed (i.e., duty cycle) at which the battery switch(es) 190 and/or supercapacitor switch(es) 192 may be switches (i.e., opened and closed) can be controlled via the PWM driver 110 .
- the one or more battery switches 190 and the one or more supercapacitor switches 192 may be selectively controlled as a function of one or more parameters, such as maximum current over time, maximum temperature of battery, maximum time alone and/or minimum voltage (with or without time). Thus, when a parameter value is exceeded (or a requirement isn't met), the output voltage may be shut off.
- the battery booster 100 may include the ability to sense, or otherwise detect, that a battery (or other load/power supply) is coupled to the battery clamps 168 . When a battery is not detected, the power may be shut off; however, the user may be provided with a manual override option (e.g., by holding a button for a predetermined amount of time, such as 2 to 10 seconds, or about 5 seconds). In certain aspects, the battery booster 100 may not charge an external battery 104 when the external battery 104 is too hot or cold, thereby avoiding potential hazards, and maintaining efficiency.
- a DC-to-DC converter may be omitted.
- the desired nominal voltage at the DC output terminals 136 e.g., first DC accessory output 136 b , the second DC accessory output 136 c , etc.
- the desired nominal voltage at the DC output terminals 136 e.g., first DC accessory output 136 b , the second DC accessory output 136 c , etc.
- the desired nominal voltage at the DC output terminals 136 e.g., first DC accessory output 136 b , the second DC accessory output 136 c , etc.
- the DC-to-DC converter 112 may convert the voltage of the power received from the internal battery 160 via the battery switches 190 from 16 volts to 5 volts.
- power from the internal power supply 158 or the power-management circuit 132 may be allocated to the other components, including, inter alia, the processor 128 , input/output interface(s) 126 , etc.
- AC power may be drawn from an AC power supply 148 , converted to DC power (via AC-to-DC converter 186 ), and used to charge the external battery 104 and/or the internal power supply 158 .
- the battery booster 100 may be removably coupled with an AC power supply 148 located outside the housing 102 or housings 102 a , 102 b (e.g., a wall outlet) via an AC input terminal 134 and an AC-to-DC converter 186 .
- an AC wall charger may receive 120 VAC from an electrical wall outlet and output, via an inverter, 12 VDC (or another desired DC voltage) to the input socket (e.g., DC input terminal 154 ) of the battery booster 100 .
- DC input power can be received from a DC power supply 156 via DC input terminal 154 , or either AC power supply 148 via an AC-to-DC converter 186 .
- the DC input power is received by SEPIC circuit 184 and output to the internal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162 , in parallel, via an internal battery charge controller 178 and a supercapacitor charge controller 180 , respectively.
- the internal battery charge controller 178 and a supercapacitor charge controller 180 may be used to monitor the parameters of the internal battery 160 and the supercapacitor 162 , such as the charge level or status.
- the supercapacitor 162 and internal battery 160 may receive charging current from the DC input power.
- the power-management circuit 132 and processor 128 may facilitate reverse hook-up protection, as well as automatic nominal battery voltage detection.
- the battery booster 100 may further include the ability to sense the occurrence of a manual override, and, if voltage is still zero after engine start, the user may be instructed to check and replace the external battery 104 of the vehicle 106 . Further, an automatic shut-off function may be provided if a battery/load/power supply is not attached to the battery clamps 168 within a predetermined amount of time (e.g., about 1 to 60 minutes, more preferably about 1 to 30 minutes, most preferably about 1 to 15 minutes).
- the battery booster 100 may further preheat a cold battery by, for example, running amperes though the battery, or an internal heater.
- the battery booster 100 may further employ alternate power sources, such as a solar panel to enable battery maintaining and charging, as well as data monitoring through solar panels (e.g., one or more 12-14 Watt panels).
- solar panels e.g., one or more 12-14 Watt panels.
- solar cells may be used to charge or maintain fleet vehicles, such as vehicle dealership fleets, rental vehicles fleets, etc.
- the DC output terminal 136 may be coupled to the external battery 104 (i.e., the battery to be charged/jumped, whether directly or indirectly) and the user interface 138 may be used to activate the boost feature.
- the jump-start function may also be selected by a user via a remote interface device 172 over a communication network 170 .
- the display device 114 may indicate that the jump-start function cannot be performed at this time. If the battery clamps 168 are improperly connected (e.g., reverse polarity or disconnected), an aural alarm may sound, and the display device 114 may display a warning message, such as “Warning—Reverse Polarity” or “Warning—Battery Disconnected.” Conversely, if the battery clamps 168 are properly connected and the battery booster 100 is ready for use, the display device 114 may display a standby message, such as “Jump Start Ready.” If the jump-start function of the battery booster 100 is attempted twice within a predetermined time period (e.g., a minute), the jump-start function may be prohibited until the battery booster 100 has cooled down. During the cool down period, the display device 114 may display a cool down message, which may also indicate the remaining time for the cool down period.
- a predetermined time period e.g., a minute
- a manual start procedure (e.g., the manual override) may be selected to enable the jump-start function.
- the DC output terminal 136 may be coupled to the external battery 104 and the user interface 138 may be used to activate the boost feature.
- the same button may be used to trigger the jump-start function, but instead of a momentary press, the button may be pressed and held for a predetermined period of time (e.g., about 2 to 10 seconds, more preferably about 2-5 seconds) until the display device 114 displays the standby message.
- the manual start procedure may override safety features to ensure that power is delivered regardless of connection status, in which case the battery booster 100 may energize the battery clamps 168 and cause sparking if they are touched together (i.e., shorted).
- the internal power supply 158 may be charged.
- the user may also charge the internal battery 160 while driving via the DC input terminal 154 (e.g., using a 12 VDC car charger that couples to the cigarette lighter).
- a 12 VDC input socket may be used to recharge the battery booster 100 to a point where the internal power supply 158 is charged.
- the battery booster 100 may then be used to jump start a vehicle 106 having an external battery 104 .
- the battery booster 100 may be charged through the battery clamps 168 , which may be retractable and/or configured to be housed in a recess of the housing 102 of the battery booster 100 .
- charging may be accomplished by leaving the relay closed, thereby allowing the alternator in the vehicle 106 , which can provide up to 70 A, to rapidly charge the internal battery 160 .
- the battery booster 100 may be configured to sense the current in a bidirectional manner through the battery clamps 168 (e.g., (1) to measure current going from the battery booster 100 into the external battery 104 , and (2) from the external battery 104 into the battery booster 100 ).
- a temperature sensor may be coupled to the battery booster 100 , whereby the relay is shut off if the battery booster 100 , or the internal battery 160 , reaches a predetermined shut-off temperature threshold.
- a benefit of maximizing the amount of current going back into the battery booster 100 is that it yields a faster charge.
- the power output controller 182 serves to provide power from the internal power supply 158 to the DC output terminals 136
- the power output controller 182 may also be configured to back-feed power from the DC output terminals 136 to the internal power supply 158 , whether directly to the internal power supply 158 or via the SEPIC circuit 184 .
- the SEPIC circuit 184 may draw current from the depleted external battery 104 (e.g., via the power output controller 182 ), which could be used to charge the internal power supply 158 , or portion thereof.
- a depleted external battery 104 can typically charge the supercapacitor 162 ; therefore, when DC input power is unavailable at the DC input terminal 154 and the AC-to-DC converter 186 , for instance, the supercapacitor 162 may receive charging current from external battery 104 via the SEPIC circuit 184 .
- the external battery 104 may be unable to start a vehicle 106 , but a portion of the remaining power may be drawn from the depleted external battery 104 and used to charge the supercapacitor 162 , which could then be used to boost the vehicle 106 .
- a supercapacitor When a supercapacitor is simply coupled to a depleted battery (e.g., external battery 104 ), the finite energy reserve is drained into the depleted battery, often lowering the voltage of the supercapacitor 162 to a level that cannot start an engine.
- the peak current that an internal battery 160 can supply may be limited due to the temperature (i.e., in cold weather) that can affect the chemical reaction inside the jump starter battery. This limit in peak current may be such that the engine may not turn over. Therefore, both an internal battery 160 and a supercapacitor 162 , where the internal battery 160 cannot supply sufficient current to overcome the effects of the depleted external battery 104 , while the supercapacitor 162 may supply the peak current.
- a battery (e.g., the internal battery 160 , a small lithium battery, etc.) may be used in combination with the supercapacitor 162 to prevent the supercapacitor 162 from discharging the current back to the depleted external battery 104 until the battery booster 100 may determine that the user trying to start the vehicle 106 .
- the processor 128 may determine that the user is attempting to start the vehicle 106 and the supercapacitor charge controller 180 may be instructed to electrically couple the supercapacitor 162 to the external battery 104 (via DC output terminal 136 ), thereby causing the supercapacitor 162 to quickly discharge into the external battery 104 , thereby enabling the vehicle 106 to start.
- the processor 128 may be similarly configured to control the power output controller 182 , which enables the internal battery 160 to discharge into the external battery 104 .
- the power from the alternator may back feed into the battery booster 100 and used to charge the internal power supply 158 (e.g., the internal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162 ).
- the amount and duration of power back-fed from the DC output terminals 136 to the internal power supply 158 may be controlled via the PWM driver 110 , for example.
- the internal battery 160 and a supercapacitor 162 can each be recharged by a SEPIC circuit 184 , which may receive any input voltage between, for example, 5 VDC to 20 VDC.
- the internal battery charge controller 178 recharges the internal battery 160 inside the battery booster 100 , while a supercapacitor charge controller 180 charges the supercapacitor 162 .
- the supercapacitor 162 may also be recharged from the internal battery 160 , thereby providing multiple peak current starts.
- the jump-start function is controlled by one or more processors 128 once the jump starter cables are attached to an external battery 104 and the jump-start function is engaged (either manually or automatically).
- the internal battery 160 may be connected by a circuit with one or more switches (relays, transistors, etc.) to the external battery 104 of the vehicle 106 .
- the internal battery 160 transfers energy into the external battery 104 and when the vehicle ignition is actuated (e.g., the key is turned, or the start button is pressed), current drawn from the starter motor will cause a voltage drop across the jump starter connection leads. This voltage drop may be detected by the one or more processors 128 , at which point the one or more processors 128 will electrically couple the supercapacitor in parallel with its internal battery 160 to supply the peak current required to start the engine.
- the jump starter function is done and the battery booster 100 can recharge itself (e.g., the internal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162 ) from an electrical connection to the electrical system of the vehicle 106 , which may continue until the internal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162 are fully charged. After which the battery booster 100 may shut off its charging function, or the battery clamps 168 are removed. If the vehicle 106 does not start, once the starter is disengaged the voltage on the external battery 104 will stabilize and the supercapacitor 162 will recharge from the internal battery 160 (or any available power from the external battery 104 ), and prepare for the next attempt to start the engine, whereby the process is repeated.
- the starter is disengaged the voltage on the external battery 104 will stabilize and the supercapacitor 162 will recharge from the internal battery 160 (or any available power from the external battery 104 ), and prepare for the next attempt to start the engine, whereby the process is repeated.
- the charger cables (e.g., battery electrical conductors 166 ) of the battery booster 100 may be fixedly coupled to the external battery 104 (e.g., via a bolt and ring terminals) and configured to quick connect to battery booster 100 (e.g., using quick connects/disconnect connectors).
- the quick connect connectors may not be compatible with different devices. Due to the inconvenience of disconnecting and reconnecting the fixedly coupled connections, it may be advantageous to use a charger cable that fixedly couples to the external battery 104 at one end, but provides a plurality of different connectors at the second end.
- the first end may be fixedly coupled to a battery terminal through the ring terminals, while the second end may be provided with two connecters, namely (1) an EC5 (male) connector configured to couple with an EC5 (female) connector of the battery booster 100 and (2) a second (male) connector configured to couple with a second (female) connector of a battery charger/maintainer.
- One or more end caps may be further provided to protect the unused connector from dirt and debris.
- Such a charger cable would be of particular use for vehicles that are not often used and typically require jump starting.
- the charger cables of the battery booster 100 may be configured to quick connect to battery booster 100 using magnetic connectors.
- the magnetic connectors may employ an electrical plug and receptacle that relies on magnetic force to maintain contact.
- a housing of the magnetic connectors may be physically shaped to ensure proper polarity when coupled (e.g., preventing the magnetic couplings from becoming coupled upside down). While two connectors are described, such a charger cable need not be limited to two connectors, nor should it be limited to the example connector types described.
- the entire battery booster 100 may be permanently coupled to an external battery 104 or an electrical system of the vehicle 106 (e.g., installed under the hood or inside the vehicle).
- the battery booster 100 may be fixedly coupled to the vehicle and remotely actuated using a physical button or controller (e.g., one positioned under the hood, on the dashboard, in the glove box, etc.), or wirelessly.
- the housing 102 of the battery booster 100 may be fabricated to mitigate damage from engine temperature or engine fluids.
- Wireless control may be accomplished using, for example, a portable electronic device 152 that is communicatively coupled to the battery booster 100 via a communication network 170 .
- a smart phone may wirelessly send a signal to the battery booster 100 , either directly or through the electrical system of the vehicle 106 , which causes the battery booster 100 to output boosting energy or charging energy to the external battery 104 of the vehicle 106 .
- the wireless communication may employ one or more wireless standards such as Bluetooth (e.g., short-wavelength, UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz), NFC, Wi-Fi (e.g., IEEE 802.11 standards), etc.
- the battery booster 100 may charge the internal battery 160 when the vehicle 106 is running via the electrical system of the vehicle 106 (e.g., 12 VDC supply).
- FIG. 1 d illustrates a communication network for use with the battery booster.
- the battery booster 100 may communicate with a remote interface device 172 via a communication network 170 or directly with a remote interface device 172 .
- a user may control the battery booster 100 , monitor live charging status updates, charging conditions, historic data, remotely update software and firmware, and stay connected with the battery booster 100 news and updates from the manufacturer via the communication network 170 and a booster management server 174 .
- an internal cellular modem may be implemented that utilizes standards-based wireless technologies, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), to provide wireless data communication over worldwide cellular networks.
- standards-based wireless technologies such as 2G, 3G, 4G, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
- An advantage of an internal cellular modem is that there is no reliance on a local network (e.g., wireless router, modem, etc.) of the user, thereby enabling communication between the battery booster 100 and communication network 170 , even in the event of a total power failure in at the location of user. Therefore, one or more routers 176 (e.g., Wi-Fi routers, cellular towers, etc.) may be used to connect the battery booster 100 to the communication network 170 .
- a local network e.g., wireless router, modem, etc.
- the battery booster 100 may indicate to the user (e.g., via display device 114 or over a communication network 170 ) the number of ampere hours put into external battery 104 , and/or an indication of the state of health of the external battery 104 . For example, if customer inputs a battery size/model number, the battery booster 100 can use the battery capacity to provide the state of health.
- the battery booster 100 may indicate to the user the state of charge or health of the internal battery 160 (e.g., the number of coulombs) via display device 114 .
- the battery charging methods or techniques employed by the battery booster 100 can be any of a variety of charging techniques including conventional charging, fast charging, and the like.
- the battery booster 100 may be further configured to determine, automatically, different battery chemistry (e.g., AGM, gel, lithium ion, etc.) and the nominal voltage of the external battery 104 .
- the charging characteristics of a battery charger may be configured to match the battery chemistry of the battery to be charged.
- lead acid batteries may be charged with constant power, constant current, constant voltage, or combination thereof. Such batteries are known to be charged with both linear as well as switched-mode battery chargers.
- the identified battery chemistry and voltage may be displayed on display device 114 .
- FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram 200 of an example method for providing the jump-start function using a battery booster 100 .
- the process starts at step 202 , which may be initiated by the user turning on the battery booster 100 or actuating a jump-start function button on the user interface 138 .
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine, using one or more sensors, whether the temperature of the internal battery 160 is within an operating range. For example, if the temperature of the internal battery 160 exceeds a first predetermined shut-off temperature threshold, a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating that the internal battery 160 is too hot. Similarly, if the temperature of the internal battery 160 does not meet a first predetermined shut-off temperature threshold, a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating that the internal battery 160 is too cold. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step.
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine whether the state of charge for the internal battery 160 is within an operating range. For example, if the state of charge of the internal battery 160 does not meet a predetermined charge level threshold, a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating that the internal battery 160 is not adequately charged. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step.
- the battery booster 100 may provide the jump-start function even in the event the internal battery 160 is only partially charged, which may be satisfactory when the external battery 104 is nearly able to start the vehicle 106 .
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine whether the internal battery 160 is being charged. If the internal battery 160 is being charged, a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating that the internal battery 160 is being charged and cannot be used to provide the jump-start function. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. In certain aspects, the battery booster 100 may provide the jump-start function even when the internal battery 160 is being charged.
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine whether an external battery 104 is coupled to the battery booster 100 (e.g., via battery clamps 168 coupled to the DC output terminal 136 ). If no external battery 104 is detected (e.g., by measuring a voltage or resistance across the battery terminal, such as the DC booster output 136 a ), a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating that the external battery 104 is not detected. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step.
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine whether an accessory is currently coupled to, or otherwise using, the battery booster 100 (e.g., via another DC output terminal 136 , such as the first DC accessory output 136 b , the second DC accessory output 136 c , etc.). If an accessory is detected (e.g., by detecting a load or other current draw at an output terminal), a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating that the internal battery 160 is in use and should not be used to provide the jump-start function. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. In certain aspects, the battery booster 100 may provide the jump-start function even when another DC output terminal 136 is in use.
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine whether an external battery 104 is properly coupled to the battery booster 100 . If a reverse polarity condition is detected for the external battery 104 , a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating that the external battery 104 is improperly connected. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step.
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine whether the battery booster 100 is in a cool down period. For example, as noted above, if the jump-start function of the battery booster 100 is attempted twice within a predetermined time period (e.g., a minute), the jump-start function may be prohibited until the battery booster 100 has cooled down (i.e., the predetermined time period has elapsed). Accordingly, if the jump-start function has been performed within a predetermined period of time, a warning may be provided at step 220 indicating a cool down message, which may also indicate the remaining time for the cool down period. After the predetermined time period has elapsed at step 222 (e.g., using a timer), the process may proceed to the next step.
- a predetermined time period e.g., a minute
- the battery booster 100 is ready to perform the jump-start function, whereby boosting energy may be output to the external battery 104 upon actuating the jump-start function button on the user interface 138 , or automatically.
- the boosting energy may be provided for a predetermined period of time, before shutting off.
- the boosting energy may be provided for 1 to 60 seconds, more preferably 5 to 30 seconds.
- the battery booster 100 may further perform one or more other function prior to outputting a jump-start current.
- the battery booster 100 may perform a pre-charge function.
- a pre-charge function may increase efficiency (or likelihood) of successfully jump starting a vehicle.
- the pre-charge function may be used to heat the glow plugs.
- a warning may be provided at step 220 via one or more of a display device 114 , a speaker 124 , or to another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152 ) via a communication network 170 .
- the message may indicate to the user one or more statuses/conditions of the internal battery 160 , external battery 104 , and/or of the battery booster 100 .
- the process may be reset such that the process is repeated.
- the reset feature may be manually triggered (e.g., via a button) or automatically once a predetermined condition is met. For example, if the temperature of the internal battery 160 is outside of the operating range, the system may be automatically reset once the temperature of the internal battery 160 returns to the operating range. If a reset is not selected at step 224 , the processed exits at step 226 .
- a manual override option may be selected (e.g., at any time) that causes the battery booster 100 to proceed to step 218 such that the battery booster 100 is ready to perform the jump-start function, regardless of the status of the internal battery 160 , external battery 104 , or of the battery booster 100 .
- the processor 128 of the battery booster 100 may determine whether the voltage of the internal battery 160 or the external battery 104 exceeds a predetermined threshold, in which case charging and/or boosting is prohibited to prevent overcharging.
- the processor 128 may control the power-management circuit 132 to selectively discharge the internal power supply 158 to one or more of the plurality of DC output terminals 136 .
- the processor 128 may also control the power-management circuit 132 to charge the internal power supply 158 selectively via one or more of the plurality of DC output terminals 136 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram 300 of an example method for discharging and charging the battery booster 100 (e.g., during a jump-start function).
- the process starts at step 302 .
- the jump-start function may be initiated by the user, turning on the battery booster 100 , or actuating a jump-start function button on the user interface 138 .
- the processor 128 may determine whether a pre-charge function is selected.
- the pre-charge function may be set via the user from the user interface 138 (or remote interface device 172 ). In certain aspects, the pre-charge function may be a default operation. If the pre-charge function is selected at step 304 , the process proceeds to step 306 , whereby the pre-charge function is performed before proceeding to step 308 (see FIG. 4 ). Otherwise, if the pre-charge function is not selected at step 304 , the process may proceed directly to step 308 .
- the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , close one or more switches to provide the jump-start current to the external battery 104 , for example, using a pair of battery clamps 168 coupled to the DC booster output 136 a via battery electrical conductors 166 .
- the processor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to pass the jump-start current from the internal power supply 158 to the DC booster output 136 a .
- the one or more battery switches 190 may be selectively controlled to output DC power from the internal battery 160 to one or more of the DC booster output 136 a , while one or more supercapacitor switches 192 may be selectively controlled to output (i.e., discharge) DC power from the supercapacitor 162 to the DC booster output 136 a .
- the battery switches 190 and supercapacitor switches 192 may be independently controlled.
- the battery switches 190 may be actuated (closed) to transfer an amount of power from the internal battery 160 to the DC booster output 136 a before actuating (closing) the supercapacitor switches 192 to discharge the supercapacitor 162 to the DC booster output 136 a .
- the battery switches 190 and supercapacitor switches 192 may be simultaneously actuated, thereby simultaneously discharging the internal battery 160 and the supercapacitor 162 to the DC booster output 136 a .
- the supercapacitor switches 192 may be opened, at which point the supercapacitor 162 may be recharged (e.g., via the internal battery 160 ).
- the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , determine whether the engine of the vehicle 106 coupled to the external battery 104 has started. For example, the processor 128 may detect a voltage spike using one or more sensors 188 (e.g., voltage or current sensors), which is indicative of the engine starting and driving the alternator of the vehicle 106 .
- sensors 188 e.g., voltage or current sensors
- the voltage spike generated when the vehicle 106 starts during a jump-starting operation can be harmful to the vehicle 106 (e.g., harmful to its onboard computers, electronics, entertainment system, etc.). That is, the combination of power from the battery booster 100 and power from the alternator can result in a power surge.
- the battery booster 100 may be configured with a current back-feed function to back feed power from the vehicle to the internal power supply 158 . In other words, upon starting, the battery booster 100 may transform from a power source to a load, thereby absorbing the voltage spike.
- the processor 128 may determine whether a current back-feed function is selected.
- the current back-feed function may be set via the user from the user interface 138 (or remote interface device 172 ). In certain aspects, the current back-feed function may be a default operation. If the current back-feed function is selected at step 314 , the process proceeds to step 316 , whereby the current back-feed function is performed before proceeding to step 308 (see FIG. 5 ). Otherwise, if the current back-feed function is not selected at step 304 , the process may proceed directly to step 318 .
- the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to the external battery 104 .
- the processor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to prohibit current flow between the internal power supply 158 and the DC booster output 136 a .
- the process of discharging and charging the battery booster 100 may end at step 320 .
- FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example pre-charge function (e.g., step 308 ).
- the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , close one or more switches to provide the pre-charge current to the external battery 104 , for example, using the pair of battery clamps 168 coupled to the DC booster output 136 a via battery electrical conductors 166 .
- the processor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to pass the pre-charge current from the internal power supply 158 to the DC booster output 136 a.
- the processor 128 may regulated the pre-charge current.
- the amperage of the pre-charge current may be lower than the jump-start current (e.g., 1 to 25 amps).
- the amperage may be adjusted or regulated via, for example, one or more converters.
- the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , open and close the battery switches 190 at a predetermined frequency to achieve a duty cycle that provides a desired regulated pre-charge current from the internal battery 160 to an external battery 104 that is electrically coupled to the DC booster output 136 a .
- the battery switches 190 may be fully closed for a predetermined period of time to couple the internal battery 160 directly to the DC booster output 136 a , in which case the pre-charge current would be effectively a jump-start current for the predetermined period of time.
- the pre-charge current may be provided to the external battery 104 that is electrically coupled to the DC booster output 136 a until a predetermined condition (e.g., a predetermined battery condition) is met at step 406 . If the condition is met (i.e., a threshold is met), the process proceeds to step 410 , otherwise, the process may proceed to step 408 .
- the condition may relate to a voltage of the external battery 104 , the amount of current (i.e., amperes) provided to the external battery 104 , a temperature of the external battery 104 , a temperature of the internal battery 160 , a time duration, etc.
- the pre-charge current may be provided to the external battery 104 until a predetermined threshold voltage, threshold temperature, threshold amperes, or time has elapsed.
- a predetermined threshold voltage, threshold temperature, threshold amperes, or time is an advantage of the pre-charge function.
- the temperature of the internal battery 160 will increase as the internal battery 160 discharges into the external battery 104 .
- Increasing the temperature of the internal battery 160 to a predetermined temperature improves discharge efficiency of the internal battery 160 .
- the pre-charge function may continue until the voltage of the internal battery 160 equalizes with the voltage of the external battery 104 .
- the pre-charge current may be supplied as a function of the temperature of the environment.
- the processor 128 may collect temperature readings from one or more sensors 188 , where the duration of the pre-charge function may be a function of the temperature. That is, a pre-charge current may be supplied for a longer period of time during the pre-charge function when the temperature (e.g., as reported by the sensors 188 ) is low.
- the battery booster 100 may indicate that the pre-charge operation is completed at step 410 .
- the indication may aural or visual (e.g., illuminating a light, displaying text, displaying an icon, etc.) and be provided via, for example, a display device 114 , a speaker 124 , or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152 ) via a communication network 170 .
- the process may then proceed to step 308 .
- the battery booster 100 may determine whether a timeout condition exists at step 408 .
- the power-management circuit 132 may be configured to pass the pre-charge current from the internal power supply 158 to the DC booster output 136 a for only a predetermined amount of time.
- the predetermined amount of time may be, for example, 1 second to 300 seconds. If the predetermined amount of time has not yet elapsed at step 408 , the process may return to step 402 . If the predetermined amount of time has elapsed at step 408 , the process may proceed to step 412 .
- the battery booster 100 may indicate that the pre-charge operation has failed.
- the indication may aural or visual and be provided via, for example, a display device 114 , a speaker 124 , or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152 ) via a communication network 170 .
- the process may then proceed to step 318 , where the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to the external battery 104 .
- FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of an example current back-feed function (e.g., step 316 ). If the current back-feed function (e.g., step 316 ) is selected at step 314 , the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , open (or hold open) one or more switches to receive a back-feed current from vehicle 106 (e.g., the vehicle's 106 alternator coupled to the external battery 104 ), for example, using the pair of battery clamps 168 coupled to the DC booster output 136 a via battery electrical conductors 166 .
- vehicle 106 e.g., the vehicle's 106 alternator coupled to the external battery 104
- the processor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to receive the back-feed current from the DC booster output 136 a and direct it to the internal power supply 158 .
- the processor 128 may regulated the back-feed current.
- the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , open and close the battery switches 190 at a predetermined frequency to achieve a duty cycle that provides a desired regulated back-feed current from the internal battery 160 to an external battery 104 that is electrically coupled to the DC booster output 136 a .
- a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver 110 may be used to control the duty cycle.
- the battery switches 190 may be fully closed for a predetermined period of time to couple the internal battery 160 directly to the DC booster output 136 a , thereby absorbing current.
- the predetermined period of time may be, for example, up to 60 seconds, up to 30 seconds, or up to 15 seconds.
- the back-feed current may be provided to the internal battery 160 until a predetermined booster condition is met at step 506 . If the condition is met (i.e., a threshold is met), the process proceeds to step 510 , otherwise, the process may proceed to step 508 .
- the condition may relate to a voltage of the internal battery 160 , the amount of current (i.e., amperes) provided to the internal battery 160 , a temperature of the internal battery 160 , a time duration, etc.
- the back-feed current may be provided to the internal battery 160 until a predetermined threshold voltage, threshold temperature, threshold amperes, or time has elapsed.
- Another advantage of providing the back-feed current to the battery booster 100 is that the internal power supply 158 can be charged, thereby reducing the amount of time needed to recharge the internal power supply 158 using other means.
- the battery booster 100 may indicate that the back-feed function is completed at step 510 .
- the indication may aural or visual and be provided via, for example, a display device 114 , a speaker 124 , or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152 ) via a communication network 170 .
- the process may then proceed to step 318 , where the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to the external battery 104 .
- the battery booster 100 may determine whether a timeout condition exists at step 508 .
- the power-management circuit 132 may be configured to pass the back-feed current from the internal power supply 158 to the DC booster output 136 a for only a predetermined amount of time.
- the predetermined amount of time may be, for example, 1 second to 300 seconds, 2 seconds to 150 seconds, 2 seconds to 60 seconds, or 2 seconds to 30 seconds. If the predetermined amount of time has not yet elapsed at step 508 , the process may return to step 502 . If the predetermined amount of time has elapsed at step 508 , the process may proceed to step 512 .
- the battery booster 100 may indicate that the back-feed function has failed.
- the indication may aural or visual and be provided via, for example, a display device 114 , a speaker 124 , or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152 ) via a communication network 170 .
- the process may then proceed to step 318 , where the battery booster 100 may, via processor 128 , open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to the external battery 104 .
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Abstract
Description
- The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/725,164, filed Aug. 30, 2018 and titled “Multifunctional Battery Booster,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
- The present disclosure relates to a portable battery booster system and apparatus. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing a compact battery booster and/or charger.
- It is well known that motorists from time to time find themselves with a battery of insufficient charge to start their vehicle. This is generally an occasion of extreme inconvenience and distress, particularly where one finds himself in this situation in an area where there are other vehicles and drivers, but no means for connecting the battery of the disabled vehicle to the battery of one of the other available vehicles. Despite the advancements thus far, a need exists for an improved battery booster, and, more particularly, to an improved lithium battery booster.
- The present disclosure is directed to an improved battery booster and charger, and, more particularly, to an improved lithium battery booster and charger.
- According to a first aspect, a method of jumpstarting a vehicle using a battery booster comprises: detecting an external battery of the vehicle coupled across a set of terminal connectors of the battery booster, wherein the external battery has a first nominal voltage; supplying a pre-charge current from a lithium battery of the battery booster to the external battery until a predetermined battery condition is detected, wherein the lithium battery has a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage; after predetermined battery condition is detected, supplying a starting current from the lithium battery of the battery booster to the vehicle to jump start an engine of the vehicle, wherein the starting current is greater than the pre-charge current.
- According to a second aspect, a battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery comprises: at least one processor; a set of terminal connectors configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery; a power supply having a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine; and a power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform a back-feed function via the power-management circuit to pass a back-feed current from the vehicle to the lithium battery via the power-management circuit for a predetermined period of time.
- According to a third aspect, a battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery comprises: at least one processor; a set of terminal connectors configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery, wherein the external battery has a first nominal voltage; a power supply having a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine, wherein the lithium battery has a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage; and a power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply.
- In certain aspects, the second nominal voltage that is at least 30% greater than the first nominal voltage.
- In certain aspects, the first nominal voltage is 12 volts and the second nominal voltage is 16 volts.
- In certain aspects, the first nominal voltage is 48 volts.
- In certain aspects, the battery booster further comprises a display device operatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to display a state of charge of the lithium battery.
- In certain aspects, the power supply further comprises a supercapacitor that is coupled to the lithium battery in parallel.
- In certain aspects, the at least one processor is configured to perform a pre-charge function via the power-management circuit.
- In certain aspects, the at least one processor is configured to, during the pre-charge function, pass a charging current from the lithium battery to the external battery via the power-management circuit until a predetermined booster condition is met.
- In certain aspects, the predetermined booster condition relates to a voltage of the external battery.
- In certain aspects, the predetermined booster condition relates to a temperature of the internal battery.
- In certain aspects, the at least one processor is configured to perform a back-feed function via the power-management circuit.
- In certain aspects, the at least one processor is configured to, during the back-feed function, pass a back-feed current from the vehicle to the lithium battery via the power-management circuit until a predetermined booster condition is met.
- In certain aspects, the power-management circuit comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver operatively coupled to one or more switches, wherein the at least one processor is configured to, during the back-feed function, modulate the back-feed current via the PWM driver and one or more switches.
- In certain aspects, at least one of the one or more switches is a transistor.
- In certain aspects, the power-management circuit is configured to charge the lithium battery.
- In certain aspects, the power-management circuit comprises a single-ended primary-inductor converter configured to receive a variable input voltage between 5 volts DC and 20 volts DC and to output a predetermined charge voltage to said lithium battery.
- In certain aspects, the supercapacitor is configured to draw a charging current from the lithium battery.
- In certain aspects, the supercapacitor is configured to draw a charging current from the external battery via the set of terminal connectors before the power-management circuit provides the starting current to the external battery.
- In certain aspects, the external battery is sufficiently depleted such that it is unable to start the engine.
- In certain aspects, the lithium battery is rated at least 10,000 mAh.
- In certain aspects, the battery booster further comprises a wireless transceiver to communicate with a remote device over a network.
- In certain aspects, the remote device is a smart phone or a tablet computer.
- In certain aspects, the battery booster is configured to be wirelessly controlled by the remote device via the wireless transceiver.
- In certain aspects, the processor is configured to detect a drop in current across the set of terminal connectors and the power-management circuit is configured to provide the starting current upon the processor detecting the drop in current across the set of terminal connectors.
- In certain aspects, the battery booster further comprises a universal serial bus (USB) port to output a first charging current from the lithium battery.
- In certain aspects, the battery booster further comprises a second USB port to output a second charging current that is different from the first charging current.
- In certain aspects, each of the first current and the second current are less than 3.0 amperes.
- In certain aspects, the battery booster further comprises a display device to display a state of charge of said lithium battery or said external battery.
- In certain aspects, the set of terminal connectors are configured to electrically couple with the battery booster at a DC output port using an EC5 connector.
- In certain aspects, the set of terminal connectors are configured to electrically couple with the battery booster using one or more magnetic connectors.
- These and other advantages of the present disclosure will be readily understood with reference to the following specifications and attached drawings wherein:
-
FIG. 1a illustrates a front perspective view of an exemplary battery booster. -
FIG. 1b illustrates a block diagram of an example battery booster. -
FIG. 1c illustrates a schematic diagram of an example battery booster. -
FIG. 1d illustrates a communication network for use with the battery booster. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method for providing the jump-start function using a battery booster. -
FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method for discharging and charging the battery booster. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example pre-charge function. -
FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of an example current back-feed function. - Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail because they may obscure the disclosure in unnecessary detail. The present disclosure relates to a battery booster system, method, and apparatus. For this disclosure, the following terms and definitions shall apply:
- As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” The embodiments described herein are not limiting, but rather are exemplary only. It should be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Moreover, the terms “embodiments of the invention,” “embodiments,” or “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage, or mode of operation.
- The terms “communicate” and “communicating” as used herein, include both conveying data from a source to a destination and delivering data to a communications medium, system, channel, network, device, wire, cable, fiber, circuit, and/or link to be conveyed to a destination. The term “communication” as used herein means data so conveyed or delivered. The term “communications” as used herein includes one or more of a communications medium, system, channel, network, device, wire, cable, fiber, circuit, and/or link.
- The terms “coupled,” “coupled to,” and “coupled with” as used herein, each mean a relationship between or among two or more devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, and/or means, constituting any one or more of: (i) a connection, whether direct or through one or more other devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means; (ii) a communications relationship, whether direct or through one or more other devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means; and/or (iii) a functional relationship in which the operation of any one or more devices, apparatuses, files, circuits, elements, functions, operations, processes, programs, media, components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means depends, in whole or in part, on the operation of any one or more others thereof.
- The term “data” as used herein means any indicia, signals, marks, symbols, domains, symbol sets, representations, and any other physical form or forms representing information, whether permanent or temporary, whether visible, audible, acoustic, electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, or otherwise manifested. The term “data” is used to represent predetermined information in one physical form, encompassing any and all representations of corresponding information in a different physical form or forms.
- The term “database” as used herein means an organized body of related data, regardless of the manner in which the data or the organized body thereof is represented. For example, the organized body of related data may be in the form of one or more of a table, map, grid, packet, datagram, frame, file, email, message, document, report, list, or any other form.
- The term “network” as used herein includes both networks and inter-networks of all kinds, including the Internet, and is not limited to any particular network or inter-network.
- The term “processor” as used herein means processing devices, apparatuses, programs, circuits, components, systems, and subsystems, whether implemented in hardware, tangibly embodied software, or both, and whether or not it is programmable. The term “processor” as used herein includes, but is not limited to, one or more computing devices, hardwired circuits, signal-modifying devices and systems, devices and machines for controlling systems, central processing units, programmable devices and systems, field-programmable gate arrays, application-specific integrated circuits, systems on a chip, systems comprising discrete elements and/or circuits, state machines, virtual machines, data processors, processing facilities, and combinations of any of the foregoing.
- A battery booster, as disclosed herein, may be used to start (a/k/a “boost”, “jump”, or “jump-start”) an engine operatively coupled to an external battery 104 (e.g., a 6V/12V/24V/48V nominal voltage vehicular battery or battery bank, which may be fully or partially depleted). In certain aspects, the
battery booster 100 may be further configured to charge theexternal battery 104, and/or other electronic devices operatively coupled with the battery booster. Example vehicular batteries include, without limitation, lead-acid batteries (e.g., wet/flooded batteries, calcium-calcium batteries, Valve-Regulated, Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries, gel cell, and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)) and other rechargeable batteries (e.g., lithium ion, lithium ion polymer, Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH), Nickel Cadmium (NiCd)). Other electronic devices that may be operatively coupled with the battery booster include, for example, portable electronic devices 152 (e.g., phones, tablet computers, portable computers, etc.), toys, etc. -
FIG. 1a illustrates a front perspective view of anexemplary battery booster 100. Thebattery booster 100 may be, for example, a compact battery booster that is light weight and capable of hand-held use. As illustrated, thebattery booster 100 may generally comprise one or more housings 102 (e.g., afirst housing 102 a and asecond housing 102 b) having, inter alia, adisplay device 114, anAC input terminal 134, auser interface 138, a plurality ofDC output terminals 136, and/or aDC input terminal 154. The plurality ofDC output terminals 136 may be used to charge (e.g., provide a charging current toexternal battery 104 or one or more portable electronic devices 152), boost (e.g., provide a boosting energy to avehicle 106/external battery 104), or otherwise power external devices, including portableelectronic devices 152, anexternal battery 104, an engine, etc. For example, theDC output terminals 136 may comprise aDC booster output 136 a, a firstDC accessory output 136 b, a secondDC accessory output 136 c, etc. - In certain aspects, one or more of the first
DC accessory output 136 b and the secondDC accessory output 136 c may be a USB Port, 12V port (e.g., a cigarette lighter socket), etc., a DC connector may be used for bothDC input terminal 154 andDC output terminal 136. - While all of the components of the
battery booster 100 may be provided in asingle housing 102, in certain aspects, it may be advantageous to place certain components in asecond housing 102 b (e.g., serving as an auxiliary housing), thereby reducing the size of thefirst housing 102 a (e.g., serving as a primary housing). For example, components that may be specific to jump starting an engine (as opposed to functions that may be used for other purposes, such as those for charging accessories, such as portable electronic devices 152) may be provided via thesecond housing 102 b to reduce the size necessary for thefirst housing 102 a. - The
battery booster 100 can be removably coupled with avehicle 106 or the external battery 104 (e.g., at its battery posts/terminals) of thevehicle 106 via a pair of electrical conductors 166 (e.g., positive and negativeelectrical conductors battery booster 100 at one of the DC output terminals 136 (e.g., theDC booster output 136 a). Each of theelectrical conductors 166 may be, for example, a battery cable having a terminal connector at its distal end. The terminal connectors may be a set of battery clamps 168 (i.e., apositive clamp 168 a and anegative clamp 168 b), a set of ring connectors, a plug (e.g., a quick connect plug), etc. As illustrated, thesecond housing 102 b (and associated components/circuitry) may be provided on one or both of the pair ofelectrical conductors 166 and position in line between the battery booster 100 (e.g., the detachable electrical ports/connectors 164) and the battery clamps 168. For example, aprocessor 128 and the power-management circuit 132 (or portions thereof) may be provided via thesecond housing 102 b. In certain aspects, the detachable electrical ports/connectors 164 may be coupled, or integral with, thesecond housing 102 b rather than via a length ofelectrical conductors 166. - In addition to conveying a charging current and/or boosting current to the
external battery 104, thebattery booster 100 can also measure, inter alia, the battery voltage of theexternal battery 104 and/or the current through theexternal battery 104 via theelectrical conductors electrical conductors conductor electrical conductors electrical conductors - The proximal end of the
electrical conductors battery booster 100 at theDC booster output 136 a via, for example, one or more detachable electrical ports/connectors 164 (e.g., EC5 connectors, barrel connectors, pin connectors, magnetic connectors, etc.). In another example, the proximal end of theelectrical conductors battery booster 100. One or both of thehousings battery booster 100 may further include one or more cable wrapping posts or another structure around which various cords may be wrapped, secured, or retracted. -
FIG. 1b illustrates a block diagram of anexample battery booster 100. Thebattery booster 100 may comprise one or more processors 128 (e.g., a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), etc.) to control the various operations of the battery booster 100 (e.g., to monitor and/or selectively charge or boost external devices). The one ormore processors 128 may be operatively coupled to one or more memory devices, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 118 for receiving one or more instruction sets, a random access memory (RAM) 120 having a plurality of buffers for temporarily storing and retrieving information, and to an internal data storage device 122 (e.g., a hard drive, such a solid state drive, or other non-volatile data storage device, such as flash memory). Aclock 130 is also coupled to theprocessor 128 for providing clock or timing signals or pulses thereto. Those skilled in the art will understand that thebattery booster 100 includes one or more bus structures for interconnecting its various components. - For purposes of illustration, the various components are illustrated as being contained within a
single housing 102. Indeed, to increase ease of use in mobile applications, the various components of abattery booster 100 may be housed in asingle housing 102. A noted above, however, it is contemplated that certain components or functionality may be provided via a second housing. Further, while a single component may be illustrated, the described functionality may be distributed across multiple components. For example, while asingle processor 128 is illustrated, a plurality ofprocessors 128 may be used to operate thebattery booster 100; whether in the same housing or separate housings (e.g.,housings multiple processors 128 that may be used. - The
internal power supply 158 may be used to charge the portableelectronic devices 152, charge theexternal battery 104, jump start the engine of thevehicle 106 associated with theexternal battery 104, and/or power the components of the battery booster 100 (e.g., when disconnected from aDC power supply 156 and/or an AC power supply 148). Theinternal power supply 158 may comprise one or moreinternal batteries 160 and/or one ormore supercapacitors 162. For example, the one or moreinternal batteries 160 and one ormore supercapacitors 162 may be electrically coupled in parallel, where switches are used to selectively charge and/or discharge power thereto or therefrom. As will be described, the switches may be mechanical switches (e.g., relays) or solid-state switches (e.g., transistors, such as a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)). Theinternal power supply 158 should be sufficiently rated to boost (jump start) avehicle 106 coupled to anexternal battery 104. Theinternal battery 160 may be rated at least 3,000 mAh, more preferably at least 10,000 mAh. Abattery booster 100 having a 12,000 mAhinternal battery 160, for instance, mayoutput 200 cranking amps/400 peak amps during the jump-start function, which is sufficient to start avehicle 106, but higher power internal batteries are contemplated for larger vehicles and trucks. In another example, thebattery booster 100 may have a 32,000 mAhinternal battery 160, for instance, may output 500 cranking amps/1,000 peak amps during the jump-start function. In certain embodiments, theinternal battery 160 may comprise a plurality of electrically coupled batteries (e.g., connected in parallel, or when multiple lower voltage batteries are to be summed, in series). - The
internal battery 160 may be a rechargeable lithium battery for outputting a direct current (DC) voltage. Example lithium battery chemistries include lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), lithium polymer (Li-poly), lithium-cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), lithium-titanate, lithium-nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNiMnCoO2 or NMC), lithium iron magnesium phosphate (LiFeMgPO4), lithium-manganese oxide (LiMnO2), lithium ion manganese oxide (LiMn2O4, Li2MnO3, or LMO), etc. Theinternal battery 160 need not be limited to a single battery or single battery cell. For example, lithium iron phosphate batteries typically have a nominal cell voltage of about 3.2V to 3.3V each, while lithium-titanate batteries have a nominal cell voltage of about 2.4 V. Accordingly, multiple lithium cells may be connected in series to achieve a desired nominal voltage for theinternal battery 160. For example, where the nominal cell voltage is 3.2V to 3.3V, four cells may be connected to achieve a nominal voltage 12.8V to 13.2V for theinternal battery 160. - Additional lithium cells may be connected in series to achieve a higher nominal voltage where desired. In fact, the nominal voltage of the
internal battery 160 may be selected a function of the nominal voltage of theexternal battery 104. In certain aspects, the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 may be matched to (e.g., about the same as) the nominal voltage of the intendedexternal battery 104. For example, if the nominal voltage of the intendedexternal battery 104 is 12 volts, the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 may be set to around 12 volts. In one example, theinternal battery 160 may comprise four battery cells connected in series, each having in a nominal cell voltage of about 3.2V to 3.3V (totaling 12.8V to 13.2V). - The nominal voltages of the
external battery 104 and theinternal battery 160 need not be matched (or similar). In fact, it can be advantageous to select a nominal voltage for theinternal battery 160 that is greater than or otherwise exceeds the nominal voltage of the external battery 104 (e.g., by 15% to 50%, or at least 30%). One advantage of setting the voltage of theinternal battery 160 higher than the intendedexternal battery 104 is the reduction is current requirements for theinternal battery 160 during a jump start. That is, a battery with a higher nominal voltage can output a larger amount of power at a given current than a battery with a lower voltage at the same current. - In one example, where the nominal voltage of the intended
external battery 104 is 12 volts, the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 may be set to around 16 volts. Where aninternal battery 160 with a nominal voltage of 16 volts is desired, theinternal battery 160 may comprise five battery cells connected in series, each having in a nominal cell voltage of about 3.2V to 3.3V. In this example, the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 may be 33.34% higher than the nominal voltage of theexternal battery 104. However, the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 may be greater than the nominal voltage of theexternal battery 104 by a different percentage, including for example, 10 to 50%, more preferably 20 to 40%. - In another example, the nominal voltage of the intended
external battery 104 is 24 volts, while the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 may be set to around 32 volts. In yet another example, the nominal voltage of the intendedexternal battery 104 is 48 volts, while the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 may be set to around 64 volts. An increased nominal voltage enables theinternal battery 160 to expend additional power without dropping below a voltage (or power) necessary to jump start avehicle 106. For example, the excess power afforced by theinternal battery 160 may be used to pre-charge theexternal battery 104 and/or preheat theexternal battery 104 orinternal battery 160, thereby making is easier to jump start thevehicle 106. As will be discussed, pre-charging theexternal battery 104 can increase efficiency of thebattery booster 100. - A
supercapacitor 162, or another storage capacitor, may be used (whether alone or in addition to the internal battery 160) to supply a large amount of power that is sufficient time to jump start avehicle 106. Thesupercapacitor 162 may be asingle supercapacitor 162 or a bank of supercapacitors. For example, a plurality of supercapacitors may be coupled in parallel to aggregate the individual capacitors' capacitances. Supercapacitors 162 are useful in that, unlike batteries, they do not necessarily suffer from ageing and temperature problems. In general, asupercapacitor 162 can hold a very high charge that can be released relatively quickly, thereby making it suitable for jump starting avehicle 106, since thevehicle 106 cranking operation lasts for a very short period of time during which high cranking power is required. Moreover,supercapacitors 162 are relatively small in size and can be employed in thebattery booster 100 to provide sufficient cranking power to jump start avehicle 106. - To charge the internal power supply 158 (or components thereof), the
battery booster 100 may receive external power via a direct current (DC)input terminal 154 coupled to aDC power supply 156 and/or an alternating current (AC)input terminal 134 coupled to anAC power supply 148.AC power supply 148 may be wall current (e.g., 110 VAC), while theDC power supply 156 may be, for example, an automotive cigarette lighter (e.g., 12 VDC), a USB port (i.e., 5 VDC), etc. In certain aspects, one of the plurality ofDC output terminals 136 may serve as both aDC input terminal 154 and aDC output terminal 136. That is, thebattery booster 100 may draw power from a device coupled to the DC output terminals 136 (functioning as a DC input terminal 154), or supply power to the device coupled to the DC output terminals 136 (functioning as a DC output terminal 136). For example, thebattery booster 100 may draw a charging current to charge theinternal power supply 158 from avehicle 106 alternator via theDC booster output 136 a (through the set of battery clamps 168, for example). In another example, thebattery booster 100 may draw a charging current to charge theinternal power supply 158 from a power source coupled to the firstDC accessory output 136 b, the secondDC accessory output 136 c, etc. - To convert the
AC power supply 148, an AC-to-DC transformer may be provided, which may be integral with, or external to, thebattery booster 100. An AC-to-DC transformer may removably coupled with wall current (i.e., line current) and/or removably coupled to thebattery booster 100. In certain aspects, a power inverter and AC output terminal may be provided to output an AC voltage (e.g., a 110 VAC output). In such an embodiment, power from theDC power supply 156 or theinternal battery 160 may be processed (e.g., using a DC-to-AC inverter) and used to supply the AC voltage to the AC output terminal. - In operation, when the
AC power supply 148 orDC power supply 156 is unavailable (e.g., disconnected, out of service, when a circuit breaker is blown, thebattery booster 100 is otherwise disconnected, etc.), thebattery booster 100 may draw the power needed to operate the components of thebattery booster 100 from theexternal battery 104 and/orinternal power supply 158, thereby enabling the user to determine the status of the battery booster 100 (and state of charge, or other parameters, of the external battery 104) when theAC power supply 148 and theDC power supply 156 are unavailable. To that end, thebattery booster 100 may report a power supply failure (e.g., as an alert) to one or more portable electronic devices 152 (e.g., phones, tablet computers, portable computers, or other handheld terminals) within a battery monitoring network via acommunication network 170. - The
battery booster 100 may further include an input/output interface 126 that interfaces theprocessor 128 with one or more peripheral and/or communicative devices, such as auser interface 138, a Global Positioning System (GPS)transmitter 140, awired link 142, awireless device 144, amicrophone 150, and aspeaker 124, which may be used to signal an alert (e.g., charge complete, error, etc.) or other status information. As illustrated, theprocessor 128 may be operatively coupled to adisplay device 114 via adisplay driver 116. - The
display device 114 may comprise, or otherwise employ, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) and/or a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. The LCD screen may be an alphanumeric segmented LCD display, or a matrix LCD display, such as those used on portable electronic devices. In certain embodiments, the LCD screen may further provide touch screen functionality to facilitate user input device via a thin layer of sensing circuitry present either beneath the visible portion of a surface of thedisplay device 114, or as part of a thin, clear membrane overlying thedisplay device 114 that is sensitive to the position of a pen or finger on its surface. In certain aspects, thebattery booster 100 may employmultiple display devices 114. For example, afirst display device 114 may be provided on thefirst housing 102 a, while asecond display device 114 may be provided on thesecond housing 102 b. The first andsecond display devices 114 provide redundant information and/or function-specific information. For example, when thesecond housing 102 b houses components of thebattery booster 100 that are specific to a jump-start function, the second display device may be specific to the jump-start function. - In operation, the
display driver 116 may receive display data from theprocessor 128 via input/output interface 126 and display the display data via thedisplay device 114. For example,interactive display device 114 may be provided on the housing to provide the user with status information and/or input capability (e.g., via a touch screen or voice commands using, for example, wave files). Reminders, or other information (e.g., status information), may be displayed to the user, via thedisplay device 114, as a scrolling message or menu structure (e.g., a graphical user interface (GUI)). - With regard to the internal
data storage device 122, example flash memory devices include, for example, memory cards, such as RS-MMC, miniSD, microSD, etc. The internaldata storage device 122 can function as an external hard drive or flash drive, thereby enabling the user to store digital files to thebattery booster 100. In instances where the internaldata storage device 122 is removable, as is the case with memory cards, the user can interchange, upgrade, or remove the memory card (e.g., if thebattery booster 100 becomes defective) to avoid data loss. Thedisplay device 114 may be used to display, for example, the contents of the internaldata storage device 122, the remaining storage capacity (e.g., as a percentage or in terms of available bytes), and, in certain aspects, the digital files themselves (e.g., photos may be displayed, files accessed, etc.). In certain aspects, in addition to (or in lieu of) charging a portable electronic device (e.g., a smart phone), thebattery booster 100 may back up digital content stored to the portableelectronic device 152 when the portableelectronic device 152 is coupled to thebattery booster 100 via, for example, aDC output terminal 136 that is a USB port. - When an
external battery 104 is connected to theDC booster output 136 a (e.g., via a set of battery clamps 168), thedisplay device 114 may display the voltage of theexternal battery 104. Thedisplay device 114 may also indicate the state of charge of theexternal battery 104 in terms of percent of charge of theinternal battery 160. During user inactivity, such as when charging theexternal battery 104 or theinternal battery 160, thedisplay device 114 may enter a sleep mode and will not display any messages until activity is detected (e.g., when devices are connected/disconnected from thebattery booster 100 or theuser interface 138 is actuated). As discussed below, if the voltage of theexternal battery 104 voltage is too low to detect across theDC booster output 136 a, thedisplay device 114 may remain blank and the voltage will not display, but a manual start procedure may be selected to enable the jump-start function (i.e., an override). The jump-start function may be used to start avehicle 106 having an external battery 104 (e.g., a depleted automotive battery). The jump-start function causes thebattery booster 100 to output a boosting current (e.g., 400+ peak amperes/200+ cranking amperes) via clamps coupled to theDC output terminal 136. One of skill in the art, however, would recognize that theinternal battery 160 may be replaced with a higher capacity battery to facilitate higher output currents. Similarly, thesupercapacitor 162 may be discharged into the external battery 104 (e.g., together with the internal battery 160). - In one example, once an AC power supply 148 (or DC power supply 156) is connected, a first LED of the
display device 114 may be illuminated to indicate that theinternal battery 160 of thebattery booster 100 is charging. When thebattery booster 100 is fully charged, a second LED on the unit may be illuminated. Finally, when theDC output terminal 136 is properly coupled to external battery 104 (e.g., clamped or otherwise electrically coupled), a third LED may be illuminated. Rather than employing separate LEDs, an LCD display or a single multi-color LED may be employed that changes color depending on the status of thebattery booster 100. Thebattery booster 100 may be further equipped with a light 108, which may function as a map light, flashlight, emergency light, etc. The light 108 may be activated and deactivated viauser interface 138, such as a button, switch, etc. The light 108 may be an LED that outputs, for example, 15 to 1,000 lumens. - When an LCD display is employed as the
display device 114, thedisplay device 114 may be configured to display, in addition to, or in lieu of, the LEDs, a number of messages to indicate the current status, or operation of thebattery booster 100 to the user. In selecting the message(s) to display, thebattery booster 100 measures one or more parameters of theinternal battery 160,external battery 104, or of thebattery booster 100. Parameters include, for example, voltage, power capacity, temperature, connection status, etc. - The
user interface 138 may be used to enable the user to switch the output charge amperage (e.g., 1 A, 10 A, 50 A, 100 A, etc.) or another setting (e.g., charge, boost, other).Example user interface 138 devices may include, for example, physical buttons, physical switches, a digitizer (whether a touch pad, or transparent layer overlaying the display device 114), voice command (e.g., via themicrophone 150 and speaker 124), and other input devices. For instance, using the digitizer, a user may control or interact with thebattery booster 100 by writing or tapping on thedisplay device 114 using, a pen, stylus, or finger. In certain aspects, as will be described below, theuser interface 138, or a portion thereof, may be remotely situated and coupled to thebattery booster 100 over a communication network 170 (e.g., as part of aremote interface device 172, such as a mobile application). - The
GPS transmitter 140 may be used to track and/or monitor the location of thebattery booster 100 and to relay the location information in the form of positional data (e.g., geographic coordinate system data or Internet Protocol (IP) address) to a booster management server or another device in battery charging system or via acommunication network 170. For example, a computer may be configured to track the activities, location, and/or charge history of aparticular battery booster 100 in a battery charging system. The positional data may also be locally stored to the battery booster 100 (e.g., to internal data storage device 122). - The
wireless device 144 may be configured to manage communication and/or transmission of signals or data between theprocessor 128 and another device (e.g., theremote interface device 172 via acommunication network 170 or directly with a remote interface device 172) by way of a wireless transceiver. Thewireless device 144 may be a wireless transceiver configured to communicate via one or more wireless standards such as Bluetooth (e.g., short-wavelength, Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) radio waves in the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz), near-field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi (e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards), etc. For example, wireless connectivity (e.g., RF 900 MHz or Wi-Fi) may be integrated with thebattery booster 100 to provide remote monitoring and control of thebattery booster 100 via one or more portableelectronic devices 152. Using awireless device 144, a user may be able to start and/or stop the charge cycle of thebattery booster 100 or otherwise change the settings. - In certain aspects, a
wired link 142 may be provided to manage communication and/or transmission of signals or data between theprocessor 128 and another device via, for example, a data port 146 (e.g., RS-232, USB, and/or Ethernet ports) capable of being wiredly coupled with anotherdata port 146 positioned outside thebattery booster 100 housing. As noted above, a USB port or 12V supply may be provided asDC output terminals 136 on the charger to facilitate the charging of accessories, such as portableelectronic devices 152. Thus, theinternal battery 160 of thebattery booster 100 may also be used as a power source for one or more DC accessories. Charging while operating the accessories can extend run time of thebattery booster 100, but will also extend recharge time. If the load exceeds the charging input amperage (e.g., 1 A), however, the accessory being charged may discharge theinternal battery 160. - The DC accessory output port (e.g., first
DC accessory output 136 b, the secondDC accessory output 136 c) may be a USB port that may provide, for example, 5 VDC at one or more amperages, including for example, 1.0 A, 2.1 A, 3.0 A, etc. To activate a DC accessory output port, a power button (or other user selectable element) may be provided viauser interface 138. The DC accessory output port may be activated by pressing the power button, and disabled by, for example, pressing the power button a second time, two or more times in quick succession, or held for a predetermined period of time. In other aspects, the DC accessory output port may be a 12 VDC power supply configured to output, for example, up to 12 VDC at 6.0 A. - The
battery booster 100 may further comprise a plurality of sensors to provide measurement data descriptive of the surrounding environment. In certain aspects, the DC accessory output port may automatically shut off when no load is detected (e.g., after 5-10 minutes of a no load state). TheDC booster output 136 a, however, may remain active until thebattery booster 100 reaches a low battery state (e.g., the charge level of theinternal battery 160 is less than a predetermined threshold). The DC accessory output port may provide a nominal voltage to match the external battery 104 (e.g., 12 VDC) and used to supply power to an integrated or remotely situated air compressor (e.g., for tire inflation). Matching (or exceeding) the nominal voltage of theexternal battery 104 may further enable the DC accessory output port orDC booster output 136 a to function as a memory saver to the vehicle 106 (e.g., via an onboard diagnostics (OBD) port, cigarette lighter, etc.), thereby obviating the need to reprogram thevehicle 106 when theexternal battery 104 is disconnected or removed. In certain aspects (e.g., in a 12-volt automotive system), the DC accessory output port may be limited to 12 VDC at 6.0 A with over current protection. In certain aspects, a user may wish to check the status of theinternal power supply 158, such as the charge status/level of theinternal battery 160 or thesupercapacitor 162. To do so, a button (or other user selectable element) may be provided viauser interface 138 that causes the status(es) to be displayed on thedisplay device 114. To ensure accuracy of the measurement, the user may be instructed (e.g., via display device 114) to disconnect or turn off thebattery booster 100 before actuating the button (or displaying the charge level). In one aspect, thedisplay device 114 can show the percent of charge (or an icon indicating the same) for theinternal battery 160 and/or thesupercapacitor 162. For example, thedisplay device 114 may display “100%” (or a solid battery icon) when theinternal battery 160 is fully charged. - The
battery booster 100 may include sensors 188 (e.g., a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, etc.), configured to monitor itself or other appliances or devices, either directly (e.g., using sensors 188) or wirelessly (e.g., using Wi-Fi). Theprocessor 128 may be configured to monitor, via one or more sensors 188 (whether local or remotely located), a temperature of theinternal battery 160 or theexternal battery 104. In another example, thebattery booster 100 may be configured to charge and monitor, in addition to automotive batteries, one or more portableelectronic devices 152 being charged by saidbattery booster 100. Thebattery booster 100 may then charge or boost theexternal battery 104 as a function of the temperature or humidity of the environment or of thebattery booster 100. For example, as will be disclosed thebattery booster 100 may be used to pre-charge and/or pre-heat theexternal battery 104 and/orinternal battery 160 in cold weather. Another temperature sensor may be provided to measure the temperature of theinternal battery 160, theexternal battery 104, or another battery being charged (e.g., a lithium-ion battery of a portable electronic devices 152). If the measured temperature deviates from an operating range (i.e., a range in which the measured value is acceptable), the charging or boosting operating may be prohibited. - With reference to
FIG. 1c illustrates a schematic diagram of anexample battery booster 100. As illustrated, a power-management circuit 132 may be used to manage power needed to operate the battery booster 100 (and components thereof), start an engine, and to charge theexternal battery 104, portableelectronic devices 152, or other device via aDC output terminals 136. The power-management circuit 132 may comprise abattery charge controller 178, asupercapacitor charge controller 180,power output controller 182, and a single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC)circuit 184. In certain aspects, aSEPIC circuit 184 may be coupled to theDC input terminal 154 or the AC input terminal 134 (e.g., via a AC-to-DC converter 186) and used to charge the internal power supply 158 (e.g., via thebattery charge controller 178 and the supercapacitor charge controller 180). - The
SEPIC circuit 184 is a form of DC-to-DC converter that allows the electrical potential (voltage) at the output of theSEPIC circuit 184 to be greater than, less than, or equal to that at its input. The output of aSEPIC circuit 184 is controlled by the duty cycle of a control transistor. In other words, aSEPIC circuit 184 exchanges energy between capacitors and inductors in order to convert a variable input voltage (e.g., from theDC input terminal 154 or the AC-to-DC converter 186) to a predetermined output voltage that can be used to charge theinternal power supply 158, for example. The amount of energy exchanged is controlled by a switch, which may be a transistor such as a MOSFET. - As a result, a
SEPIC circuit 184 enables a wide variation in input voltage both substantially higher and lower than the charge voltage of theinternal power supply 158. For example, to charge a battery with a nominal voltage of 12 volts to 14.4V, the variable input voltage can be a voltage from a predetermined range, such as between 5 VDC to 20 VDC, thereby enablinginternal battery 160 recharging functionality via a USB port, which is typically 5 VDC. That is, the input voltage may not be always known, but the predetermined range may be known. In certain aspects, theSEPIC circuit 184 may be shut off (e.g., bypassed) to facilitate a higher efficiency charge. For example, if a 20V power supply is used, thebattery booster 100 may bypass the SEPIC circuit 184 (e.g., via a switchable shunt), whereas, if 12 VDC power supply (e.g., a vehicle charger accessory) is used, theSEPIC circuit 184 may be employed. - The
battery charge controller 178 can be used to charge theinternal battery 160 selectively, while thesupercapacitor charge controller 180 can be used to charge thesupercapacitor 162 selectively. Conversely, thepower output controller 182 can be used to discharge theinternal battery 160 and/or thesupercapacitor 162 selectively into theexternal battery 104, engine, or another load to be charge/boosted/started. Thebattery charge controller 178, thesupercapacitor charge controller 180, and thepower output controller 182 may be controlled selectively by one ormore processors 128, for example, in accordance with instructions (e.g., software algorithms) stored to a memory device. - The DC power may be output to the
external battery 104 or other devices by way of a DC output terminal 136 (e.g., batteryelectrical conductors 166, battery clamps 168, etc.). Thus, power-management circuit 132 andprocessor 128 may control the charging operation of theexternal battery 104 to provide charging, maintaining, and, the jump-start function. While the power-management circuit 132 andprocessor 128 are illustrated as separate components, one of skill in the art would appreciate that power management functionality (e.g., battery charging, battery maintaining, etc.) may be provided as a single component that combines the functionality of the power-management circuit 132 andprocessor 128. - The
power output controller 182 may comprise, for example, one ormore battery switches 190, one or more supercapacitor switches 192, one or more DC-to-DC converters 112, and a pulse width modulation (PWM)driver 110. The output power may be controlled by switches and software. The one ormore battery switches 190 may be selectively controlled to output DC power from theinternal battery 160 to one or more of theDC output terminals 136, while the one or more supercapacitor switches 192 may be selectively controlled to output DC power from thesupercapacitor 162 to one or more of the DC output terminals 136 (e.g., theDC booster output 136 a). The battery switch(es) 190 and/or supercapacitor switch(es) 192 may be controlled via theprocessor 128 and/or thePWM driver 110. The speed (i.e., duty cycle) at which the battery switch(es) 190 and/or supercapacitor switch(es) 192 may be switches (i.e., opened and closed) can be controlled via thePWM driver 110. - The one or
more battery switches 190 and the one or more supercapacitor switches 192 may be selectively controlled as a function of one or more parameters, such as maximum current over time, maximum temperature of battery, maximum time alone and/or minimum voltage (with or without time). Thus, when a parameter value is exceeded (or a requirement isn't met), the output voltage may be shut off. Thebattery booster 100 may include the ability to sense, or otherwise detect, that a battery (or other load/power supply) is coupled to the battery clamps 168. When a battery is not detected, the power may be shut off; however, the user may be provided with a manual override option (e.g., by holding a button for a predetermined amount of time, such as 2 to 10 seconds, or about 5 seconds). In certain aspects, thebattery booster 100 may not charge anexternal battery 104 when theexternal battery 104 is too hot or cold, thereby avoiding potential hazards, and maintaining efficiency. - When the desired nominal voltage of the boost current at the DC output terminals 136 (e.g., the
DC booster output 136 a) is the same as the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160, a DC-to-DC converter may be omitted. When the desired nominal voltage at the DC output terminals 136 (e.g., firstDC accessory output 136 b, the secondDC accessory output 136 c, etc.) is different than the voltage a DC-to-DC converter 112 may be used to adjust the voltage. For example, when the nominal voltage of theinternal battery 160 is 16-volts DC and the firstDC accessory output 136 b is a 5-volt USB port, the DC-to-DC converter 112 may convert the voltage of the power received from theinternal battery 160 via the battery switches 190 from 16 volts to 5 volts. - While not necessarily illustrated in
FIG. 1c , power from theinternal power supply 158 or the power-management circuit 132 may be allocated to the other components, including, inter alia, theprocessor 128, input/output interface(s) 126, etc. For example, AC power may be drawn from anAC power supply 148, converted to DC power (via AC-to-DC converter 186), and used to charge theexternal battery 104 and/or theinternal power supply 158. For instance, thebattery booster 100 may be removably coupled with anAC power supply 148 located outside thehousing 102 orhousings AC input terminal 134 and an AC-to-DC converter 186. In such an example, an AC wall charger may receive 120 VAC from an electrical wall outlet and output, via an inverter, 12 VDC (or another desired DC voltage) to the input socket (e.g., DC input terminal 154) of thebattery booster 100. - DC input power can be received from a
DC power supply 156 viaDC input terminal 154, or eitherAC power supply 148 via an AC-to-DC converter 186. The DC input power is received bySEPIC circuit 184 and output to theinternal battery 160 and/or thesupercapacitor 162, in parallel, via an internalbattery charge controller 178 and asupercapacitor charge controller 180, respectively. The internalbattery charge controller 178 and asupercapacitor charge controller 180 may be used to monitor the parameters of theinternal battery 160 and thesupercapacitor 162, such as the charge level or status. Thesupercapacitor 162 andinternal battery 160 may receive charging current from the DC input power. - The power-
management circuit 132 andprocessor 128 may facilitate reverse hook-up protection, as well as automatic nominal battery voltage detection. Thebattery booster 100 may further include the ability to sense the occurrence of a manual override, and, if voltage is still zero after engine start, the user may be instructed to check and replace theexternal battery 104 of thevehicle 106. Further, an automatic shut-off function may be provided if a battery/load/power supply is not attached to the battery clamps 168 within a predetermined amount of time (e.g., about 1 to 60 minutes, more preferably about 1 to 30 minutes, most preferably about 1 to 15 minutes). Thebattery booster 100 may further preheat a cold battery by, for example, running amperes though the battery, or an internal heater. Thebattery booster 100 may further employ alternate power sources, such as a solar panel to enable battery maintaining and charging, as well as data monitoring through solar panels (e.g., one or more 12-14 Watt panels). For example, solar cells may be used to charge or maintain fleet vehicles, such as vehicle dealership fleets, rental vehicles fleets, etc. - To use the jump-start function, the
DC output terminal 136 may be coupled to the external battery 104 (i.e., the battery to be charged/jumped, whether directly or indirectly) and theuser interface 138 may be used to activate the boost feature. The jump-start function may also be selected by a user via aremote interface device 172 over acommunication network 170. - If the
battery booster 100 is performing another function when the jump-start function is selected, thedisplay device 114 may indicate that the jump-start function cannot be performed at this time. If the battery clamps 168 are improperly connected (e.g., reverse polarity or disconnected), an aural alarm may sound, and thedisplay device 114 may display a warning message, such as “Warning—Reverse Polarity” or “Warning—Battery Disconnected.” Conversely, if the battery clamps 168 are properly connected and thebattery booster 100 is ready for use, thedisplay device 114 may display a standby message, such as “Jump Start Ready.” If the jump-start function of thebattery booster 100 is attempted twice within a predetermined time period (e.g., a minute), the jump-start function may be prohibited until thebattery booster 100 has cooled down. During the cool down period, thedisplay device 114 may display a cool down message, which may also indicate the remaining time for the cool down period. - If the voltage of the
external battery 104 is too low for thebattery booster 100 to detect that the battery clamps 168 are connected, a manual start procedure (e.g., the manual override) may be selected to enable the jump-start function. To use the manual start procedure, theDC output terminal 136 may be coupled to theexternal battery 104 and theuser interface 138 may be used to activate the boost feature. For example, the same button may be used to trigger the jump-start function, but instead of a momentary press, the button may be pressed and held for a predetermined period of time (e.g., about 2 to 10 seconds, more preferably about 2-5 seconds) until thedisplay device 114 displays the standby message. In certain aspects, the manual start procedure may override safety features to ensure that power is delivered regardless of connection status, in which case thebattery booster 100 may energize the battery clamps 168 and cause sparking if they are touched together (i.e., shorted). - There are a number of ways in which the
internal power supply 158 may be charged. The user may also charge theinternal battery 160 while driving via the DC input terminal 154 (e.g., using a 12 VDC car charger that couples to the cigarette lighter). Accordingly, a 12 VDC input socket may be used to recharge thebattery booster 100 to a point where theinternal power supply 158 is charged. Thebattery booster 100 may then be used to jump start avehicle 106 having anexternal battery 104. In certain aspects, thebattery booster 100 may be charged through the battery clamps 168, which may be retractable and/or configured to be housed in a recess of thehousing 102 of thebattery booster 100. For example, charging may be accomplished by leaving the relay closed, thereby allowing the alternator in thevehicle 106, which can provide up to 70 A, to rapidly charge theinternal battery 160. Thus, thebattery booster 100 may be configured to sense the current in a bidirectional manner through the battery clamps 168 (e.g., (1) to measure current going from thebattery booster 100 into theexternal battery 104, and (2) from theexternal battery 104 into the battery booster 100). To prevent overheating when current is passing into thebattery booster 100, a temperature sensor may be coupled to thebattery booster 100, whereby the relay is shut off if thebattery booster 100, or theinternal battery 160, reaches a predetermined shut-off temperature threshold. Indeed, a benefit of maximizing the amount of current going back into thebattery booster 100 is that it yields a faster charge. - While the
power output controller 182 serves to provide power from theinternal power supply 158 to theDC output terminals 136, thepower output controller 182 may also be configured to back-feed power from theDC output terminals 136 to theinternal power supply 158, whether directly to theinternal power supply 158 or via theSEPIC circuit 184. In an example operation, theSEPIC circuit 184 may draw current from the depleted external battery 104 (e.g., via the power output controller 182), which could be used to charge theinternal power supply 158, or portion thereof. For example, a depletedexternal battery 104 can typically charge thesupercapacitor 162; therefore, when DC input power is unavailable at theDC input terminal 154 and the AC-to-DC converter 186, for instance, thesupercapacitor 162 may receive charging current fromexternal battery 104 via theSEPIC circuit 184. By way of illustration, if anexternal battery 104 having a nominal voltage of 12 VDC has depleted to 6 VDC, theexternal battery 104 may be unable to start avehicle 106, but a portion of the remaining power may be drawn from the depletedexternal battery 104 and used to charge thesupercapacitor 162, which could then be used to boost thevehicle 106. - When a supercapacitor is simply coupled to a depleted battery (e.g., external battery 104), the finite energy reserve is drained into the depleted battery, often lowering the voltage of the
supercapacitor 162 to a level that cannot start an engine. While aninternal battery 160 can start an engine when it has sufficient power to override the discharging effects of a depleted vehicle battery, the peak current that aninternal battery 160 can supply may be limited due to the temperature (i.e., in cold weather) that can affect the chemical reaction inside the jump starter battery. This limit in peak current may be such that the engine may not turn over. Therefore, both aninternal battery 160 and asupercapacitor 162, where theinternal battery 160 cannot supply sufficient current to overcome the effects of the depletedexternal battery 104, while thesupercapacitor 162 may supply the peak current. - A battery (e.g., the
internal battery 160, a small lithium battery, etc.) may be used in combination with thesupercapacitor 162 to prevent thesupercapacitor 162 from discharging the current back to the depletedexternal battery 104 until thebattery booster 100 may determine that the user trying to start thevehicle 106. For example, if a drop in current is detected at theDC booster output 136 a, theprocessor 128 may determine that the user is attempting to start thevehicle 106 and thesupercapacitor charge controller 180 may be instructed to electrically couple thesupercapacitor 162 to the external battery 104 (via DC output terminal 136), thereby causing thesupercapacitor 162 to quickly discharge into theexternal battery 104, thereby enabling thevehicle 106 to start. Theprocessor 128 may be similarly configured to control thepower output controller 182, which enables theinternal battery 160 to discharge into theexternal battery 104. - Once the engine that coupled to the depleted
external battery 104 has been started, the power from the alternator may back feed into thebattery booster 100 and used to charge the internal power supply 158 (e.g., theinternal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162). As will be discussed, the amount and duration of power back-fed from theDC output terminals 136 to theinternal power supply 158 may be controlled via thePWM driver 110, for example. - The
internal battery 160 and asupercapacitor 162 can each be recharged by aSEPIC circuit 184, which may receive any input voltage between, for example, 5 VDC to 20 VDC. The internalbattery charge controller 178 recharges theinternal battery 160 inside thebattery booster 100, while asupercapacitor charge controller 180 charges thesupercapacitor 162. Thesupercapacitor 162 may also be recharged from theinternal battery 160, thereby providing multiple peak current starts. The jump-start function is controlled by one ormore processors 128 once the jump starter cables are attached to anexternal battery 104 and the jump-start function is engaged (either manually or automatically). Theinternal battery 160 may be connected by a circuit with one or more switches (relays, transistors, etc.) to theexternal battery 104 of thevehicle 106. Theinternal battery 160 transfers energy into theexternal battery 104 and when the vehicle ignition is actuated (e.g., the key is turned, or the start button is pressed), current drawn from the starter motor will cause a voltage drop across the jump starter connection leads. This voltage drop may be detected by the one ormore processors 128, at which point the one ormore processors 128 will electrically couple the supercapacitor in parallel with itsinternal battery 160 to supply the peak current required to start the engine. If the engine starts, the jump starter function is done and thebattery booster 100 can recharge itself (e.g., theinternal battery 160 and/or the supercapacitor 162) from an electrical connection to the electrical system of thevehicle 106, which may continue until theinternal battery 160 and/or thesupercapacitor 162 are fully charged. After which thebattery booster 100 may shut off its charging function, or the battery clamps 168 are removed. If thevehicle 106 does not start, once the starter is disengaged the voltage on theexternal battery 104 will stabilize and thesupercapacitor 162 will recharge from the internal battery 160 (or any available power from the external battery 104), and prepare for the next attempt to start the engine, whereby the process is repeated. - In lieu of battery clamps 168, the charger cables (e.g., battery electrical conductors 166) of the
battery booster 100 may be fixedly coupled to the external battery 104 (e.g., via a bolt and ring terminals) and configured to quick connect to battery booster 100 (e.g., using quick connects/disconnect connectors). In certain instances, the quick connect connectors may not be compatible with different devices. Due to the inconvenience of disconnecting and reconnecting the fixedly coupled connections, it may be advantageous to use a charger cable that fixedly couples to theexternal battery 104 at one end, but provides a plurality of different connectors at the second end. For example, the first end may be fixedly coupled to a battery terminal through the ring terminals, while the second end may be provided with two connecters, namely (1) an EC5 (male) connector configured to couple with an EC5 (female) connector of thebattery booster 100 and (2) a second (male) connector configured to couple with a second (female) connector of a battery charger/maintainer. One or more end caps may be further provided to protect the unused connector from dirt and debris. Such a charger cable would be of particular use for vehicles that are not often used and typically require jump starting. In other aspects, the charger cables of thebattery booster 100 may be configured to quick connect tobattery booster 100 using magnetic connectors. For example, the magnetic connectors may employ an electrical plug and receptacle that relies on magnetic force to maintain contact. A housing of the magnetic connectors may be physically shaped to ensure proper polarity when coupled (e.g., preventing the magnetic couplings from becoming coupled upside down). While two connectors are described, such a charger cable need not be limited to two connectors, nor should it be limited to the example connector types described. - In another alternative, the
entire battery booster 100 may be permanently coupled to anexternal battery 104 or an electrical system of the vehicle 106 (e.g., installed under the hood or inside the vehicle). For example, thebattery booster 100 may be fixedly coupled to the vehicle and remotely actuated using a physical button or controller (e.g., one positioned under the hood, on the dashboard, in the glove box, etc.), or wirelessly. When integrated with the vehicle, thehousing 102 of thebattery booster 100 may be fabricated to mitigate damage from engine temperature or engine fluids. Wireless control may be accomplished using, for example, a portableelectronic device 152 that is communicatively coupled to thebattery booster 100 via acommunication network 170. For instance, a smart phone may wirelessly send a signal to thebattery booster 100, either directly or through the electrical system of thevehicle 106, which causes thebattery booster 100 to output boosting energy or charging energy to theexternal battery 104 of thevehicle 106. The wireless communication may employ one or more wireless standards such as Bluetooth (e.g., short-wavelength, UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz), NFC, Wi-Fi (e.g., IEEE 802.11 standards), etc. When permanently coupled to theexternal battery 104 or electrical system of thevehicle 106, thebattery booster 100 may charge theinternal battery 160 when thevehicle 106 is running via the electrical system of the vehicle 106 (e.g., 12 VDC supply). -
FIG. 1d illustrates a communication network for use with the battery booster. As illustrated, thebattery booster 100 may communicate with aremote interface device 172 via acommunication network 170 or directly with aremote interface device 172. In operation, a user may control thebattery booster 100, monitor live charging status updates, charging conditions, historic data, remotely update software and firmware, and stay connected with thebattery booster 100 news and updates from the manufacturer via thecommunication network 170 and abooster management server 174. In certain aspects, an internal cellular modem may be implemented that utilizes standards-based wireless technologies, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), to provide wireless data communication over worldwide cellular networks. An advantage of an internal cellular modem is that there is no reliance on a local network (e.g., wireless router, modem, etc.) of the user, thereby enabling communication between thebattery booster 100 andcommunication network 170, even in the event of a total power failure in at the location of user. Therefore, one or more routers 176 (e.g., Wi-Fi routers, cellular towers, etc.) may be used to connect thebattery booster 100 to thecommunication network 170. - The
battery booster 100 may indicate to the user (e.g., viadisplay device 114 or over a communication network 170) the number of ampere hours put intoexternal battery 104, and/or an indication of the state of health of theexternal battery 104. For example, if customer inputs a battery size/model number, thebattery booster 100 can use the battery capacity to provide the state of health. Thebattery booster 100 may indicate to the user the state of charge or health of the internal battery 160 (e.g., the number of coulombs) viadisplay device 114. Indeed, the battery charging methods or techniques employed by thebattery booster 100 can be any of a variety of charging techniques including conventional charging, fast charging, and the like. Thebattery booster 100 may be further configured to determine, automatically, different battery chemistry (e.g., AGM, gel, lithium ion, etc.) and the nominal voltage of theexternal battery 104. The charging characteristics of a battery charger may be configured to match the battery chemistry of the battery to be charged. For example, lead acid batteries may be charged with constant power, constant current, constant voltage, or combination thereof. Such batteries are known to be charged with both linear as well as switched-mode battery chargers. The identified battery chemistry and voltage may be displayed ondisplay device 114. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram 200 of an example method for providing the jump-start function using abattery booster 100. The process starts atstep 202, which may be initiated by the user turning on thebattery booster 100 or actuating a jump-start function button on theuser interface 138. Atstep 204, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine, using one or more sensors, whether the temperature of theinternal battery 160 is within an operating range. For example, if the temperature of theinternal battery 160 exceeds a first predetermined shut-off temperature threshold, a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating that theinternal battery 160 is too hot. Similarly, if the temperature of theinternal battery 160 does not meet a first predetermined shut-off temperature threshold, a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating that theinternal battery 160 is too cold. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. - At
step 206, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine whether the state of charge for theinternal battery 160 is within an operating range. For example, if the state of charge of theinternal battery 160 does not meet a predetermined charge level threshold, a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating that theinternal battery 160 is not adequately charged. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. In certain aspects, thebattery booster 100 may provide the jump-start function even in the event theinternal battery 160 is only partially charged, which may be satisfactory when theexternal battery 104 is nearly able to start thevehicle 106. - At
step 208, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine whether theinternal battery 160 is being charged. If theinternal battery 160 is being charged, a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating that theinternal battery 160 is being charged and cannot be used to provide the jump-start function. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. In certain aspects, thebattery booster 100 may provide the jump-start function even when theinternal battery 160 is being charged. - At
step 210, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine whether anexternal battery 104 is coupled to the battery booster 100 (e.g., via battery clamps 168 coupled to the DC output terminal 136). If noexternal battery 104 is detected (e.g., by measuring a voltage or resistance across the battery terminal, such as theDC booster output 136 a), a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating that theexternal battery 104 is not detected. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. - At
step 212, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine whether an accessory is currently coupled to, or otherwise using, the battery booster 100 (e.g., via anotherDC output terminal 136, such as the firstDC accessory output 136 b, the secondDC accessory output 136 c, etc.). If an accessory is detected (e.g., by detecting a load or other current draw at an output terminal), a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating that theinternal battery 160 is in use and should not be used to provide the jump-start function. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. In certain aspects, thebattery booster 100 may provide the jump-start function even when anotherDC output terminal 136 is in use. - At
step 214, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine whether anexternal battery 104 is properly coupled to thebattery booster 100. If a reverse polarity condition is detected for theexternal battery 104, a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating that theexternal battery 104 is improperly connected. Otherwise, the process proceeds to the next step. - At
step 216, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine whether thebattery booster 100 is in a cool down period. For example, as noted above, if the jump-start function of thebattery booster 100 is attempted twice within a predetermined time period (e.g., a minute), the jump-start function may be prohibited until thebattery booster 100 has cooled down (i.e., the predetermined time period has elapsed). Accordingly, if the jump-start function has been performed within a predetermined period of time, a warning may be provided atstep 220 indicating a cool down message, which may also indicate the remaining time for the cool down period. After the predetermined time period has elapsed at step 222 (e.g., using a timer), the process may proceed to the next step. - At
step 218, thebattery booster 100 is ready to perform the jump-start function, whereby boosting energy may be output to theexternal battery 104 upon actuating the jump-start function button on theuser interface 138, or automatically. The boosting energy may be provided for a predetermined period of time, before shutting off. For example, the boosting energy may be provided for 1 to 60 seconds, more preferably 5 to 30 seconds. As will be described in connection withFIG. 3 , thebattery booster 100 may further perform one or more other function prior to outputting a jump-start current. For example, thebattery booster 100 may perform a pre-charge function. A pre-charge function may increase efficiency (or likelihood) of successfully jump starting a vehicle. For example, where thevehicle 106 comprises a diesel engine, the pre-charge function may be used to heat the glow plugs. - A warning may be provided at
step 220 via one or more of adisplay device 114, aspeaker 124, or to another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152) via acommunication network 170. The message may indicate to the user one or more statuses/conditions of theinternal battery 160,external battery 104, and/or of thebattery booster 100. - At
step 224, the process may be reset such that the process is repeated. The reset feature may be manually triggered (e.g., via a button) or automatically once a predetermined condition is met. For example, if the temperature of theinternal battery 160 is outside of the operating range, the system may be automatically reset once the temperature of theinternal battery 160 returns to the operating range. If a reset is not selected atstep 224, the processed exits atstep 226. - In certain aspects, a manual override option may be selected (e.g., at any time) that causes the
battery booster 100 to proceed to step 218 such that thebattery booster 100 is ready to perform the jump-start function, regardless of the status of theinternal battery 160,external battery 104, or of thebattery booster 100. Further, theprocessor 128 of thebattery booster 100 may determine whether the voltage of theinternal battery 160 or theexternal battery 104 exceeds a predetermined threshold, in which case charging and/or boosting is prohibited to prevent overcharging. - Once the
battery booster 100 is ready to perform the jump-start function (e.g., step 218 ofFIG. 2 ), theprocessor 128 may control the power-management circuit 132 to selectively discharge theinternal power supply 158 to one or more of the plurality ofDC output terminals 136. Theprocessor 128 may also control the power-management circuit 132 to charge theinternal power supply 158 selectively via one or more of the plurality ofDC output terminals 136. -
FIG. 3 illustrates a flow diagram 300 of an example method for discharging and charging the battery booster 100 (e.g., during a jump-start function). Once thebattery booster 100 is ready to perform the jump-start function, the process starts atstep 302. For example, the jump-start function may be initiated by the user, turning on thebattery booster 100, or actuating a jump-start function button on theuser interface 138. - At
step 304, theprocessor 128 may determine whether a pre-charge function is selected. The pre-charge function may be set via the user from the user interface 138 (or remote interface device 172). In certain aspects, the pre-charge function may be a default operation. If the pre-charge function is selected atstep 304, the process proceeds to step 306, whereby the pre-charge function is performed before proceeding to step 308 (seeFIG. 4 ). Otherwise, if the pre-charge function is not selected atstep 304, the process may proceed directly to step 308. - At
step 308, thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, close one or more switches to provide the jump-start current to theexternal battery 104, for example, using a pair of battery clamps 168 coupled to theDC booster output 136 a via batteryelectrical conductors 166. In operation, theprocessor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to pass the jump-start current from theinternal power supply 158 to theDC booster output 136 a. In one example, the one ormore battery switches 190 may be selectively controlled to output DC power from theinternal battery 160 to one or more of theDC booster output 136 a, while one or more supercapacitor switches 192 may be selectively controlled to output (i.e., discharge) DC power from thesupercapacitor 162 to theDC booster output 136 a. In certain aspects, the battery switches 190 andsupercapacitor switches 192 may be independently controlled. For example, the battery switches 190 may be actuated (closed) to transfer an amount of power from theinternal battery 160 to theDC booster output 136 a before actuating (closing) the supercapacitor switches 192 to discharge thesupercapacitor 162 to theDC booster output 136 a. In other aspects, the battery switches 190 andsupercapacitor switches 192 may be simultaneously actuated, thereby simultaneously discharging theinternal battery 160 and thesupercapacitor 162 to theDC booster output 136 a. In certain aspects, once thesupercapacitor 162 has discharged to theDC booster output 136 a, the supercapacitor switches 192 may be opened, at which point thesupercapacitor 162 may be recharged (e.g., via the internal battery 160). - At
step 312, thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, determine whether the engine of thevehicle 106 coupled to theexternal battery 104 has started. For example, theprocessor 128 may detect a voltage spike using one or more sensors 188 (e.g., voltage or current sensors), which is indicative of the engine starting and driving the alternator of thevehicle 106. - The voltage spike generated when the
vehicle 106 starts during a jump-starting operation can be harmful to the vehicle 106 (e.g., harmful to its onboard computers, electronics, entertainment system, etc.). That is, the combination of power from thebattery booster 100 and power from the alternator can result in a power surge. To mitigate this voltage spike, thebattery booster 100 may be configured with a current back-feed function to back feed power from the vehicle to theinternal power supply 158. In other words, upon starting, thebattery booster 100 may transform from a power source to a load, thereby absorbing the voltage spike. - At
step 314, theprocessor 128 may determine whether a current back-feed function is selected. The current back-feed function may be set via the user from the user interface 138 (or remote interface device 172). In certain aspects, the current back-feed function may be a default operation. If the current back-feed function is selected atstep 314, the process proceeds to step 316, whereby the current back-feed function is performed before proceeding to step 308 (seeFIG. 5 ). Otherwise, if the current back-feed function is not selected atstep 304, the process may proceed directly to step 318. - At
step 318, thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to theexternal battery 104. For example, in operation, theprocessor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to prohibit current flow between theinternal power supply 158 and theDC booster output 136 a. Once the switch is open and current flow between theinternal power supply 158 and theDC booster output 136 a is terminated, the process of discharging and charging thebattery booster 100 may end atstep 320. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example pre-charge function (e.g., step 308). If the pre-charge function (e.g., step 308) is selected atstep 304, thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, close one or more switches to provide the pre-charge current to theexternal battery 104, for example, using the pair of battery clamps 168 coupled to theDC booster output 136 a via batteryelectrical conductors 166. In operation, atstep 402, theprocessor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to pass the pre-charge current from theinternal power supply 158 to theDC booster output 136 a. - At
step 404, theprocessor 128 may regulated the pre-charge current. For example, the amperage of the pre-charge current may be lower than the jump-start current (e.g., 1 to 25 amps). The amperage may be adjusted or regulated via, for example, one or more converters. In another example, thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, open and close the battery switches 190 at a predetermined frequency to achieve a duty cycle that provides a desired regulated pre-charge current from theinternal battery 160 to anexternal battery 104 that is electrically coupled to theDC booster output 136 a. In other aspects, the battery switches 190 may be fully closed for a predetermined period of time to couple theinternal battery 160 directly to theDC booster output 136 a, in which case the pre-charge current would be effectively a jump-start current for the predetermined period of time. - The pre-charge current, whether regulated or not, may be provided to the
external battery 104 that is electrically coupled to theDC booster output 136 a until a predetermined condition (e.g., a predetermined battery condition) is met atstep 406. If the condition is met (i.e., a threshold is met), the process proceeds to step 410, otherwise, the process may proceed to step 408. The condition may relate to a voltage of theexternal battery 104, the amount of current (i.e., amperes) provided to theexternal battery 104, a temperature of theexternal battery 104, a temperature of theinternal battery 160, a time duration, etc. For example, the pre-charge current may be provided to theexternal battery 104 until a predetermined threshold voltage, threshold temperature, threshold amperes, or time has elapsed. An advantage of the pre-charge function is that the temperature of theinternal battery 160 will increase as theinternal battery 160 discharges into theexternal battery 104. Increasing the temperature of theinternal battery 160 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., in cold environments) improves discharge efficiency of theinternal battery 160. In other aspects, the pre-charge function may continue until the voltage of theinternal battery 160 equalizes with the voltage of theexternal battery 104. In certain aspects, the pre-charge current may be supplied as a function of the temperature of the environment. In one example, theprocessor 128 may collect temperature readings from one ormore sensors 188, where the duration of the pre-charge function may be a function of the temperature. That is, a pre-charge current may be supplied for a longer period of time during the pre-charge function when the temperature (e.g., as reported by the sensors 188) is low. - If the condition is met at
step 406, thebattery booster 100 may indicate that the pre-charge operation is completed atstep 410. The indication may aural or visual (e.g., illuminating a light, displaying text, displaying an icon, etc.) and be provided via, for example, adisplay device 114, aspeaker 124, or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152) via acommunication network 170. The process may then proceed to step 308. - If the condition is not met at
step 406, thebattery booster 100 may determine whether a timeout condition exists atstep 408. For example, the power-management circuit 132 may be configured to pass the pre-charge current from theinternal power supply 158 to theDC booster output 136 a for only a predetermined amount of time. The predetermined amount of time may be, for example, 1 second to 300 seconds. If the predetermined amount of time has not yet elapsed atstep 408, the process may return to step 402. If the predetermined amount of time has elapsed atstep 408, the process may proceed to step 412. - At
step 412, thebattery booster 100 may indicate that the pre-charge operation has failed. The indication may aural or visual and be provided via, for example, adisplay device 114, aspeaker 124, or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152) via acommunication network 170. The process may then proceed to step 318, where thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to theexternal battery 104. -
FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of an example current back-feed function (e.g., step 316). If the current back-feed function (e.g., step 316) is selected atstep 314, thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, open (or hold open) one or more switches to receive a back-feed current from vehicle 106 (e.g., the vehicle's 106 alternator coupled to the external battery 104), for example, using the pair of battery clamps 168 coupled to theDC booster output 136 a via batteryelectrical conductors 166. In operation, atstep 502, theprocessor 128 may selectively control (e.g., open or close) one or more switches in the power-management circuit 132 to receive the back-feed current from theDC booster output 136 a and direct it to theinternal power supply 158. - At
step 504, theprocessor 128 may regulated the back-feed current. For example, thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, open and close the battery switches 190 at a predetermined frequency to achieve a duty cycle that provides a desired regulated back-feed current from theinternal battery 160 to anexternal battery 104 that is electrically coupled to theDC booster output 136 a. For example, a pulse width modulation (PWM)driver 110 may be used to control the duty cycle. In other aspects, the battery switches 190 may be fully closed for a predetermined period of time to couple theinternal battery 160 directly to theDC booster output 136 a, thereby absorbing current. The predetermined period of time may be, for example, up to 60 seconds, up to 30 seconds, or up to 15 seconds. - The back-feed current, whether regulated or not, may be provided to the
internal battery 160 until a predetermined booster condition is met atstep 506. If the condition is met (i.e., a threshold is met), the process proceeds to step 510, otherwise, the process may proceed to step 508. The condition may relate to a voltage of theinternal battery 160, the amount of current (i.e., amperes) provided to theinternal battery 160, a temperature of theinternal battery 160, a time duration, etc. For example, the back-feed current may be provided to theinternal battery 160 until a predetermined threshold voltage, threshold temperature, threshold amperes, or time has elapsed. Another advantage of providing the back-feed current to thebattery booster 100 is that theinternal power supply 158 can be charged, thereby reducing the amount of time needed to recharge theinternal power supply 158 using other means. - If the condition is met at
step 506, thebattery booster 100 may indicate that the back-feed function is completed atstep 510. The indication may aural or visual and be provided via, for example, adisplay device 114, aspeaker 124, or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152) via acommunication network 170. The process may then proceed to step 318, where thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to theexternal battery 104. - If the condition is not met at
step 506, thebattery booster 100 may determine whether a timeout condition exists atstep 508. For example, the power-management circuit 132 may be configured to pass the back-feed current from theinternal power supply 158 to theDC booster output 136 a for only a predetermined amount of time. The predetermined amount of time may be, for example, 1 second to 300 seconds, 2 seconds to 150 seconds, 2 seconds to 60 seconds, or 2 seconds to 30 seconds. If the predetermined amount of time has not yet elapsed atstep 508, the process may return to step 502. If the predetermined amount of time has elapsed atstep 508, the process may proceed to step 512. - At
step 512, thebattery booster 100 may indicate that the back-feed function has failed. The indication may aural or visual and be provided via, for example, adisplay device 114, aspeaker 124, or another device (e.g., a portable electronic device 152) via acommunication network 170. The process may then proceed to step 318, where thebattery booster 100 may, viaprocessor 128, open the one or more switches to discontinue supply of the jump-start current to theexternal battery 104. - The above-cited patents and patent publications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Although various embodiments have been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features, and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other embodiments, modifications, and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention may therefore be practiced otherwise than as specifically described above.
Claims (20)
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